Paper Title
The Effect of Body Positions on Oxygen Saturation and Vital Signs Among Children in Pediatric Postoperative Cardiac Intensive Care Unit
Abstract
Positioning is the intervention used to relief hypoxemia. The nurse has a significant role in optimizing oxygenation and ventilation and promoting secretion clearance by using of appropriate patient positioning. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of body positions on oxygen saturation and vital signs among children in pediatric postoperative cardiac intensive care unit. A convenient sample of 50 children who had open heart surgery was participated in the study. A quasi experimental design was used to conduct the study. Children were exposed to a sequence of two positions (semi-setting, and lateral).The study conducted at pediatric postoperative cardiac intensive care unit in Cairo. Data was collected using a structured interview schedule it was developed by the researchers. It involved three parts; the first part related to sociodemographic data about the child, his/her family. The second one involved history of the child illness. The third part was vital signs and oxygen saturation recording sheet. Apparently, the results revealed that, the mean of oxygen saturation among children in semi-setting position were significantly higher than in lateral position. The means of vital signs among children using semi-setting position were better compared to lateral position. There were highly statistically significant differences between the means of child's vital signs and oxygen saturation in semi-setting and in lateral position. The study concluded that, semi-setting position lead to higher oxygen saturation and improved means of vital signs in children with heart surgeries than lateral position. It was recommended that, semi-setting position recommended for use in clinical practice by nurses to improve oxygen saturation and vital signs of children following heart surgeries.
Keywords - Body Positioning -Oxygen saturation- vital signs - Pediatric Postoperative Cardiac Intensive Care Unit