Research Critique of Study on Newborn Temperature Regulation

Abstract

The authors (Chiu, Anderson, & Burkhammer, 2005) of the article present all the essential components of the research study. There will be a decrease in temperature in the newborn if having difficulties breastfeeding while having skin-to-skin contact with the mother. That was the inferred hypothesis. The method used to gather the information was a pretest-test-posttest study design and the sample consisted of 48 full-term infants. The key findings showed most infants reached and maintained temperatures between 36.5 and 37.6 degrees Celsius, the thermo neutral range, with only rare exceptions.

Problem Statement

The research problem is thermoregulation in newborn infants. The purpose of the research study is to find out if Kangaroo, or skin-to-skin contact, facilitates safe temperatures in newborn infants during the first few minutes and hours after birth, specifically during breastfeeding. In this article the problem statement is written clearly and it expresses a relationship between two or more variables, specifically temperature and skin-to-skin contact. In this study the problem statement is testable and states a specific population being studied (full-term newborns). The significance to nursing is apparent in the problem statement. It is important for newborns to maintain a body temperature within a normal range so that “caloric expenditure and oxygen consumption are minimal. If excessive effort is needed to produce heat when cold stress persists, newborn infants may experience adverse metabolic events such as hypoxemia, acidosis, and hypoglycemia” (Chiu et al., 2005. p. 115 as cited in Kenner, 2003).

Literature Review

The literature review is comprehensive and makes explicit the relationship among the variables and discusses the relevant concepts. All sources are relevant to the study topic and are critically appraised. Both classic and current sources are included ranging in date from 1977 to 2004. Most sources are primary sources but only supporting research is presented. Chiu et al states that one gap in knowledge about the problem identified is that “temperature has not been reported in studies of skin-to-skin contact with a focus on the breastfeeding process.” This study intends to fill the gaps by studying mothers and newborns that are having tro...

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...sing Practice

The temperature results provide solid evidence that this study is valid. According to Chiu et al (2005), “When mother-infant couples breastfeed skin-to-skin using a safe technique, concern for hypothermia is unfounded” (p. 120). Patients benefit from the research findings because, “healthy full-term infants, with or without breastfeeding difficulties, could safely breastfeed in skin-to-skin contact with their mothers” (Chiu et al., 2005. p.120). Direct application of the research findings is feasible in terms of time, money, and legal/ethical risks. These findings indicate that nurses no longer need to worry that infants will become cold during skin-to-skin contact especially during breastfeeding. The results of this study should be applied to nursing practice because skin-to-skin contact facilitates a bond between mother and baby and because it helps regulate baby’s temperature.

References

Chiu, S., Anderson, G.C., & Burkhammer, M.D. (2005). Newborn Temperature During Skin-to-Skin Breastfeeding in Couples Having Breastfeeding Difficulties. BIRTH, 32(2), p 115-121.