Plastic Drapes Could Save Preemies from Hypothermia

Plastic drapes can potentially reduce hypothermia among premature babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) found in a new study. The findings of the study were published under the Practice improvements in the neonatal care section of the journal Advances in Neonatal Care . Peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) is used to give IV fluids or medicines to premature babies under the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). They need heating devices to maintain constant body temperature. The use of cloth blankets has been found to hinder the transfer of heat from these devices. This can result in hypothermia, a condition in which body temperature drops down to a dangerous level.

Huong (Kelle) Phan, assistant professor at the University of Houston College of Nursing, found a solution to this problem. She says, "The use of the plastic drape is a quality improvement to reduce the hypothermia rate in very low birth-weight (VLBW) neonates by replacing cloth blanket/towels with a plastic drape during PICC placement. A plastic drape shows promise in improving nursing practice by providing improved thermoregulation for premature neonates during PICC placement."

Phan and the team implemented the usage of plastic drapes for 58 PICC procedures over three months. The effects of plastic drapes on hypothermia were assessed using a pre-/post-test design and compared with the impact of traditional cloth blankets. Babies who got plastic drapes showed a 5.2% hypothermia rate, whereas a hypothermia rate of 11.3% was seen in babies who got cloth blankets.

"Phan's innovative nursing intervention of using the plastic drape during a PICC insertion helps some of our most vulnerable patients, those infants that must be treated in neonatal intensive care units," said Kathryn Tart, founding dean and Humana Endowed Dean's Chair in Nursing, UH College of Nursing.

Phan's findings show how we could solve potentially dangerous conditions by using simple interventions. She further recommends more extensive studies to explore the usage of plastic drapes in the operating room and other NICU procedures.

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Source-Medindia