Abstract

The study is designed to define the practices of nurses in an attempt to reduce the stress in neonates caused by environmental factors.100 nurses working in neonatal intensive care units of four hospitals in Istanbul are within the scope of the study.  All hospitals are connected  to Turkish Ministry of Health and  three of them are training and research hospitals.It is determined that 47% of the nurses are graduates of Vocational Highschool of Health, 10% of them got post graduate education and 51% of them have been working in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for 1 to 5 years. It is also determined that 61% of the nurses got education on neonatal intensive care nursing. 97% of the nurses working in Intensive Care Unit implied that they apply position changing method, 82% of them apply Kangaroo care, 95% of them apply massage, 87% of them apply the method of reducing environmental stimulations, 63% of them apply personalized developmental nursing.It is possible to say that methods used by nurses working in neonatal intensive care units are compatible with the literature.

Key words: Neonate, nursing practice, environmental factors, stress.