Assessment of Nursing Care Provided to Neonates Undergoing Phototherapy

Abstract

Background: Neonatal jaundice occurs in about 60% of neonates. If not managed properly, it can progress to severe neonatal jaundice leading to death or permanent disability. Aim of this study: To assess nursing care provided to neonates undergoing phototherapy. Design: A descriptive design was utilized in this study. Setting: The study was carried out in the neonatal intensive care units affiliated to Helwan General Hospital and Ain Shams University Obstetric Hospital. Subject:The study included 80 nurses working at the previously mentioned setting and one hundred and twenty neonates.Tools:Two tools were utilized for data collection in a period of 4 months, (1) A questionnaire sheet to assess nurses’ knowledge and (2) An observation checklist to assess nurses’ practice regarding neonates suffering from jaundice and undergoing phototherapy.Results: The results revealed that,the majority of the studied nurses had poor knowledge, more than three-quarters of the studied nurses had a poor level of actual practice regarding nursing care for neonates undergoing phototherapy and there was a highly statistical significant relation between nurses’ knowledge & practice. Conclusion: The study concluded that, nurses had a poor level of knowledge and practice regarding the nursing care for neonates undergoing phototherapy. Recommendations: Develop educational training programs for meeting actual educational need assessment of nurses dealing with neonates undergoing phototherapyto update nurses’ knowledge and practices toward providing comprehensive, concise and complete nursing care for neonates undergoing phototherapy.