Effect of Facilitated Tucking on Procedural Pain During Heel Prick in Late Preterm Neonates: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

Background: Preterm neonates frequently undergo painful procedures such as heel pricks, which can adversely affect physiological stability and neurodevelopment. Non-pharmacological interventions like facilitated tucking may help reduce procedural pain. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of facilitated tucking on procedural pain during heel prick in late preterm neonates. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was carried out among 100 late preterm neonates (34 to < 37 weeks) admitted to a tertiary care hospital. Neonates were allocated into two groups: routine heel prick (n=50) and facilitated tucking (n=50) groups using alternate allocation. We assessed the pain using the Premature Infant Pain Profile-Revised (PIPP-R) score at 30 seconds post-procedure along with heart rate and oxygen saturation monitoring. We analyzed the data using the Mann-Whitney U test and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), with effect sizes reported as partial eta squared (partial η²) for ANCOVA analyses. Results: The facilitated tucking group demonstrated significantly lower pain scores compared to the routine care group (median PIPP-R score 4.00 vs. 9.00, p < 0.001). Neonates who underwent facilitated tucking showed a smaller rise in heart rate and less reduction in oxygen saturation following the procedure, indicating better physiological stability. Conclusion: Facilitated tucking was associated with lower procedural pain scores and better physiological stability during heel prick in late preterm neonates. It may offer a simple non-pharmacological approach to procedural pain management, although these findings need confirmation in randomized studies.