Effectiveness of the Z-Track Technique As a Pain-Reducing Strategy for Neonates During Intramuscular Injection: a Randomized Controlled Trial

University of Baghdad

Status: Completed

Conditions: Neonatal Pain; Intramuscular Injection; Neonates

Treatments: Other: Z-track technique

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06793618

NO. 37/ 2024

Details and patient eligibility

About

A quantitative study, true experimental, posttest-only design has been used for the current study. one intervention (the Z-track technique) and one control group involved in the study. The primary outcome measure is the Neonatal/Infant Pain Scale to be used immediately after intramuscular injections to measure the pain level among neonates.

Enrollment: 147 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 5 minutes to 2 hours old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Neonates delivered through cesarean section
• Apgar score of 8 or more
• Weight between 2500 - 3500 grams
• neonates receiving IM injections
• Males / females
• term neonates between 37th and 42nd week of gestation

Exclusion criteria

• Congenital anomalies
• neonates who received intramuscular injection such as the Hepatitis B vaccine
• Low birth weight
• Preterms
• Neural tube defects
• neonates who are of normal vaginal delivery

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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147 participants in 2 patient groups

Z-track technique

Active Comparator group

Description:

To perform the zeta-track technique: In this method, the neonates are in supine position, the skin is moved and held from the injection site 2 to 3 cm to the side or downward using the non- dominant hand, to ensure that blood vessel wasn't penetrated aspiration on the syringe must perceive the injection and then the medication is to be injected slowly. Researcher assistant that is unaware of the injection method performs the recording of the pain intensity and leakage diameter on the observation form.

Treatment:

Other: Z-track technique

Control group

No Intervention group

Description:

the neonates receive the intramuscular injection using the conventional method and protocol used in the postnatal ward without any interventions