Background and aim:A skin injury is one of the major neonatal issues. Physicians and nurses reported that skin injuries are one of the most common and serious problems in neonates. The study was aimed to evaluate the effect of skin injury preventive strategy on the neonatal skin condition at neonatal intensive care unit. Subjects and Method: A quasi-experimental research design was used. A purposive sample of sixty neonates was selected from neonatal intensive care unit of El-Monira Pediatric Hospital-Cairo University. Neonates were divided to two groups study and control. Neonatal characteristics were collected by using a structured questionnaire, neonatal skin condition score, and neonatal skin injury risk assessments were used for both groups four times. Neonates in the study group received a designed skin injury prevention strategy for four subsequent days; neonates in the control group only received the hospital routine care. Results: A highly statistical significant difference between total neonatal skins conditions mean score of both groups. A statistical significant correlation in the control and the study groups between gestational age and total NSCS at 4 th day as well as there is a statistical significant correlation in the study group between weight and total NSCS at 4 th day. Conclusion: skin injury preventive strategy has been shown to be successful in improving neonates' skin conditions, which has a positive effect on critically ill neonates. Recommendation: Skin injury preventive strategy should be applied in all neonatal intensive care units to minimize the hazards associated with skin injuries.

Background and Aim: Enteral feeding is the recommended and preferred feeding method for critically ill children with a functional gastrointestinal system because of its lower cost and complication rates when compared with parenteral nutrition. The study was aimed to evaluate the effect of returning versus discarding gastric residual volume on enteral feeding outcomes among critically ill children. Subjects and Method: randomized controlled trial comparison study was utilized to conduct the current study. A total sample of 100 critically ill children was recruited from pediatric intensive care unit of El-Monira Children Hospital-Cairo University and assigned randomly into the study and the control group. Data were collected by a structured interview questionnaire and Subjective Global Nutrition Assessment Form (SGNA). Results: there were a statistical significant difference in the total mean score of children' respiration and pulse at the 2 nd , 3 rd and 4 th day, sodium and potassium levels at 3 rd and 4 th day and a highly statistical significant difference between both groups regarding the SGNA at 1 st , 3 rd and 4 th day but there was no statistical significant difference between both groups at 2 nd day. Conclusion: Better feeding outcomes were seen in children who their residual volume was discarded. However, a majority of children followed the discarding method had lower electrolyte levels than the returning group.

No abstract