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Evidence-Based Practice: Delaying Infant Bathing, Gabrielle Wadle, Grace Frankland
Evidence-Based Practice: Delaying Infant Bathing, Gabrielle Wadle, Grace Frankland
Scholars Week
A hospital's policy regarding infant bathing is currently not congruent with best nursing practice. The hospital’s current policy is to bathe an infant once they are stable and their rectal temperature is at or above 98.6 °F. Although the infant may become stable within the first 24-hours of birth, the World Health Organization recommends that, “Bathing should be delayed until 24 hours after birth.” (2013, p. 4). Research has been completed to support delaying infant bathing until 24 hours post-delivery, suggesting potential modifications to current policy.