NURSES ON THE FRONT LINE: NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL CARE AND COMFORT MEASURES FOR PREMATURE INFANTS IN THE NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT (NICU)

Abstract

Prematurity is a significant public health problem and one of the leading causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality, requiring intensive care in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). In this context, nurses play a key role in implementing non-pharmacological interventions aimed at promoting comfort, reducing pain, and providing more humanized care for preterm newborns. This study sought to understand how nurses contribute to the implementation of non-pharmacological care strategies in NICUs and to identify their benefits in reducing stress, promoting comfort, and strengthening the relationship between newborns and their families. This is a descriptive bibliographic study with a qualitative approach, conducted through searches in the LILACS, MEDLINE, BDENF, and Google Scholar databases. After screening the abstracts, 14 articles met the inclusion criteria and were selected from the 102 studies initially identified. The findings indicated that interventions such as Kangaroo Mother Care, facilitated tucking, therapeutic touch, breast milk administration, appropriate positioning, and humanized communication contribute to physiological stabilization, pain reduction, stress relief, and improved neurobehavioral development in preterm infants. Furthermore, family involvement and continuing education for nursing professionals were identified as essential factors for the effectiveness of these practices. Therefore, non-pharmacological care strategies are effective tools for humanizing neonatal care, reinforcing the active role of nurses in achieving better clinical and emotional outcomes for preterm newborns and their families.