American Research Journal of Nursing

Background: Maintaining body temperature and decreasing stress are essential challenges in bathing newborn infants. Aim: to compare the effects of trunk-to-head bathing and the traditional head-to-trunk bathing on newborns’ outcomes. Design: А quasi-experimental research design was selected for this study. Setting: delivery room in Beni-Suef General Hospital. Sample: А convenient sample of 100 pregnant women and her newborns in the previous setting. Tools: Two structured interviewing questionnaires for pregnant women and her newborn. The first tool was for mother which included socio-demographic data. The second tool included questionnaires about infant outcomes. Results: there were statistically significant differences (P<0.001) in bathing time between groups. No statistically significant differences in baseline body temperature, heart rate & oxygen saturation between experimental and control group. Conclusion: The trunk to head bathing intervention seems to be safe, effective and of particular importance for stable and healthy full-term newborns. Thermal stability of newborns is very important in newborns’ care. Therefore, trunk to head bath procedures must be carefully reflected to advance a method that decreases heat loss by evaporation not only before and after the bath but also during the bath. Recommendations: The trunk to head bath practice should be standardized and supported by Ministry of Health and hospital administration. Increasing awareness of the routine trunk to head bath by obstetrics & pediatric nurses