A critical analysis of the role of the nurse in the implementation of skin-to-skin on the neonatal unit

Neonatal nurses have an important role in the implementation of skin to skin in the neonatal unit. Through looking at the evidence and literature, analysis of the nurses' role in promoting skin to skin for a set of neonates receiving special care and their parents will be explored. Analysis suggests that skin to skin has positive impacts such as improved thermoregulation for the neonates, it can be used as a strategy for pain management, it can increase breast milk production for the mother and is a way to involve the father in the care of his baby/babies. There can be difficulties in implementing skin to skin, such as staffing levels and poor communication, but there are methods to overcome these barriers and make skin to skin successful for the nurse, the babies and parents.