The Effect of Wiping and Swaddling Bath Methods Applied in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit on Neonatal Comfort: a Randomized Controlled Trial

This study is designed as a randomized controlled trial to compare the effects of swaddled bathing and wipe bathing on neonatal comfort in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). The study will be conducted in the NICU of İzmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, and after obtaining ethical approval, 64 neonates meeting the inclusion criteria will be enrolled. As part of the study, the swaddled bath will be applied to the intervention group, while the wipe bath will be applied to the control group. The bathing procedures will be carried out by the researcher according to standard protocols. Neonatal comfort levels will be assessed by a second nurse working in the NICU at 10 and 60 minutes after bathing, using the COMFORT Neo scale. Data Analysis: Collected data will be analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistical Package Program. Descriptive statistics (mean, percentage, standard deviation) will be calculated, and t-tests, ANOVA, and correlation analysis will be conducted to evaluate differences between the groups. Ethical Considerations: Prior to the study, approval will be obtained from the Non-Interventional Research Ethics Committee of İzmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital. Additionally, parents of the neonates will be provided with detailed information about the study, and informed consent will be obtained. This study aims to contribute to the standardization of bathing methods in NICUs and to determine the most effective technique for improving neonatal comfort.