Ann J. Morton

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of the warm water bath and the radiant heater on the axillary temperatures of normal newborns. The sample group consisted of thirty newborns--15 babies placed into the water bath in Group I, and 15 babies placed under the radiant heater in Group II. Birth weights were between 6.25 and 8.75 pounds, gestational ages between 37 and 41 weeks, and 5-minute Apgar scores were 8 or more. The maternal temperatures, taken within two hours before birth, ranged between 97 and 99 degrees. All infants were born by spontaneous or low-forceps vertex deliveries, and labor lasted between three and nineteen hours. The infants in Group I were placed in a 99-degree water bath as soon as the umbilical cord was clamped and cut and remained there for 10 minutes. The infants in Group II were placed underneath an overhead radiant heater set on "high" for 10 minutes as soon as the umbilical cord was clamped and cut. Axillary temperatures were taken for each subject at 15-minute intervals for two hours after birth. During these two hours, all infants remained with their parent(s) in the recovery area. The data comparing the effects of the two procedures on the infant's temperature stabilization time and two-hour temperature were analyzed using an analysis of covariance and partial correlation. The results of these analyses showed that the water bath group had significantly shorter temperature stabilization times (p=.001), and also significantly higher two-hour temperatures (p=0.05). Maternal temperature and time interval between birth and warming also were found to have significant effects on temperature stabilization time and two-hour temperature. It was concluded that not only may the water bath be used without fear of adverse effects on the infant's temperature, but that for the 30 study subjects, the water bath is more effective than the radiant heater in stabilizing and increasing the infant's axillary temperature within the first two hours after birth.

LLU Discipline

Nursing

Department

Nursing

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

Clarice J. Woodward

Second Advisor

Betty T. Lonnstrom

Third Advisor

Lois Magnussen

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

1978

Date (Title Page)

5-1978

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Body Temperature -- in infancy & childhood

Type

Thesis

Page Count

ix; 115

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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