The effect of postural drainage and nasal care with saline solution on aspiration frequency and physiological parameters in preterm infants

The study was conducted as a randomized controlled experimental study to determine the effect of postural drainage and nasal care with physiological saline on aspiration frequency and physiological parameters in preterm infants. The study was conducted at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Düzce University Health Application and Research Center between September 2024 and March 2025. The study sample consisted of a total of 60 infants (experimental group = 30, control group = 30) who agreed to participate in the study and met the sample selection criteria, as determined by a power analysis. The distribution of infants into groups was randomized. Infants in the experimental group received nasal care with physiological saline and postural drainage, while infants in the control group received only nasal care with physiological saline. The physical parameters (body temperature, heart rate, oxygen saturation, fever, respiratory rate) of both groups were measured before, during, and after the application. A "Personal Information Form" was used to collect data on the characteristics of the parents and infants, and a "Physiological Parameters Record Form" was used to evaluate their physiological findings. The research data were analyzed using IBM® SPSS® Statistics 30 software. According to the findings, the incidence of aspiration in the control group was higher than in the experimental group. Intergroup measurement results showed a statistically significant decrease in the incidence of aspiration in the experimental group compared to the control group (p<0.05). No significant difference was found between the groups in terms of wakefulness, secretion color, body temperature (p>0.05), but a significant difference was found in oxygen saturation, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and heart rate (p<0.05). In conclusion, it was observed that postural drainage performed in addition to nasal care with physiological saline reduced the frequency of aspiration and had positive effects on physiological parameters. Based on these results, it is recommended that nasal care with physiological saline and postural drainage be used together in neonatal intensive care units.