Effect of Kangaroo Care on Cardiopulmonary Events in Neonates in the NICU

Introduction: Infants in the NICU often suffer from physiologic stress related to bradycardia, apneic spells, and oxygen desaturations. This review analyzes the effect of KC on the frequency of cardiopulmonary events.Methods: Databases utilized include PubMed, Google Scholar, and CINAHL. These papers were selected based on their publication in the last ten years, and focus on examining effects of skin-to-skin care on the NICU infant as measured by the infant’s physiological stability.Results: All three studies showed that infants in the treatment groups had a significantly decrease in bradycardic events compared to control group. Two studies found that infants in the treatment group had significantly fewer oxygen desaturations while being held skin-to-skin versus the time they spent in the warmer.Discussion: The studies used high fidelity of intervention, and two of the three used randomized controlled trails designs. The small sample size of the studies was a weakness and warrants further research.Conclusion: Nurses should develop policies for increased encouragement for kangaroo care for preterm infants in NICUs