Effectiveness of Gentle Touch Technique on Pain Level During Painful Procedures in Preterm Infants

Inclusion Criteria: * Preterm infants with a gestational age range from 28 to 36 weeks. * Preterm infants admitted to the neonatal units of the selected teaching hospitals. * Preterm infants who were clinically stable at the time of data collection. * Preterm infants undergoing routine painful procedures as part of standard neonatal care. * Preterm infants who did not receive analgesic or sedative medications prior to the procedure. * Preterm infants whose parents or legal guardians agreed to participate in the study and provided informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Preterm infants with a gestational age of less than 28 weeks or more than 36 weeks. * Preterm infants with congenital anomalies or genetic disorders. * Preterm infants diagnosed with neurological impairment or central nervous system disorders. * Preterm infants who were clinically unstable or required intensive medical interventions at the time of data collection. * Preterm infants receiving analgesic or sedative medications prior to the painful procedures. * Preterm infants with severe respiratory distress or requiring mechanical ventilation. * Preterm infants who had undergone any painful procedure within 30 minutes prior to the study procedure.