Neonatal nurses’ perceptions of topical coconut oil for very preterm infants

Lately, we reported that topical application of coconut oil is safe and feasible in very preterm infants and that this intervention has beneficial effects on skin condition and may be associated with improved neonatal outcomes ¹⁻³. This prophylactic measure is predominantly a nursing intervention; neonatal nurses apply the coconut oil and educate and supervise parents in its use as part of family integrated care. Here, we complement our published observations with the results of a detailed survey assessing neonatal nurses' perceptions and experiences in the application of topical coconut oil. This survey characterises neonatal nurses’ experiences with topical application of coconut oil to very preterm infants in a busy intensive care unit. The results clearly support the feasibility and general acceptability of this prophylactic intervention and highlight that this is easily integrated into the daily workflow without significant effects on workload.