Newborns In Neonatal Care Unit Research Articles

Risk factors during admission on mortality of newborns in neonatal care units

Background Neonatal mortality is defined as the death of live born within the first 28 days of life. It represents a great burden on the health and community. Many risk factors are associated with neonatal mortality. Aim Evaluate perinatal admission risk factors and their relation to neonatal mortality in newborns admitted to neonatal care units participating in the Egyptian Neonatal Network (EGNN). Patients and methods This retrospective study included 4621 newborns admitted to Neonatal Care Units participating in the Egyptian Neonatal Network over 3 years (2014–2016). The record of the cases was revised to determine the maternal characteristics, the incidence of neonatal mortality, and the associated risk factors associated with mortality. Results Among the studied factors, increased gravidity, parity, and number of live children and lower gestational age, birth and, admission weight, length, and HC, are associated with increased neonatal mortality in neonatal intensive care unit (NICUs) (P value<0.001). Conclusion Determination of risk factors in neonatal death can help to identify sick neonates who are more likely to die in NICUs and provide on-time care. Help doctors to tell parents what possibly happened to their babies. And used as a tool to compare the outcome of different NICUs and evaluate their performance.

Digital educational technology content production and validity about Japanese bathtub (ofurô) in neonatal unit

To describe the elaboration and content validity stages of a digital educational technology for nursing professionals about Japanese bathtub (ofurô) in newborns in neonatal care units. A methodological study conducted between August 2019 and July 2021, in a public maternity hospital in Manaus, Amazonas, developed in two stages. In the first, the e-book images, text and editing were produced. In the second, material content validity was carried out, through the opinion of 15 expert judges, nurses and neonatal care experts. In data analysis, the percentage of agreement was applied with agreement score estimation. Items with 80% or more agreement were considered valid. The e-book "Japanese bathtub: manual for nursing professionals" was produced, organized into nine sessions, which describe the technique execution. Content was considered valid by expert judges (general score 90%). The e-book was considered suitable for use in training nursing professionals, with potential for dissemination of knowledge regarding humanization of care for premature babies.

Experience of Mothers Having Preterm Newborns in Neonatal Care Units

Background: Preterm births are vulnerable to morbidities and require hospitalization in the neonatal care unit (NCU). The situation is stressful for mothers influencing their attachment and care to the newborns. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore the experience of mothers having preterm newborns in NCU.
 Methods: The qualitative study was conducted among purposively selected 13 mothers of NCU admitted preterm infants at Tribhuvan University, Teaching Hospital. Data was collected using in-depth interview. Colaizzi content analysis method was used for data analysis.
 Results: Among 13 mothers, 8 were primipara, 25-30 years, homemakers; 6 had Bachelor or above education; 11 had ANC visit > 4 times. Ten infants were very preterm (< 32 weeks gestational age), 11 have very low birth weight (< 1500 gram), 9 born by caesarian section and stayed NICU for 7-14 days. Study identified 5 themes and 18 subthemes: loss of control (fear and anxiety, distress towards pain and suffering, guilt feeling, hopelessness); sense of difference (newborn’s appearance, needs and problems, breastfeeding and parental roles); care of newborn (trust to nurses, confidence and emotional attachment with care involvement,), support for coping (support from family, nurses and other mothers); and difficulties faced (distance to NCU, inadequate guidance and information, and lack of supportive environment)
 Conclusion: The hospitalization of preterm newborns in NCUs was usually stressful situation for mothers. Their positive experience and coping was related with provided guidance support and involvement in newborn care. Therefore, nurses working in NCU should consider these care components in their practice.

The pattern of drug use among term neonates and cost implications: results from a study in a Sri Lankan neonatal care unit

Background Newborns in neonatal care units are exposed to a considerable number of medications. Although patterns of drug utilization in neonatal care units are changing rapidly, current data on drug utilization patterns in neonatal care units are limited, especially with regard to term neonates. Objectives The aim of the study was to describe the drug utilization pattern, its associated factors and total drug cost on term neonates admitted to the Neonatal Care Unit (NCU) at Teaching Hospital Kandy (THK). Methods and materials This study was a secondary analysis of data based on a follow-up study conducted among term neonates delivered at Teaching Hospital Kandy. A total of 175 neonates were studied over a period of 4 months, from February to May 2015. Results Benzylpenicillin was the most frequently used drug and on average 6.16 (+2.99) drugs were prescribed per neonate. Only length of stay and sex was associated with average drug use per neonate. Nearly seventy percent of total drug cost to treat term neonates was spent on 2 drugs; gentamicin and surfactant. All the other individual drugs account for a proportion of ten percent or less. Conclusions Being the drug which is responsible for the heights share of total drug cost, gentamicin should be monitored closely to ensure rational use. Similar studies done in large scale at regular intervals can reflect the changing patterns of drug prescribing, which helps the healthcare planners to develop necessary guidelines and take action to make necessary drugs available.

“Early” or Timely Discharge in Kangaroo Mother Care: Evidence and Experience

Caring for preterm and low birth weight (LBW) newborns in neonatal care units (NCU) can overwhelm healthcare systems in both developed and developing countries. Ensuring intact survival and adequate growth until term gestation and/or appropriate size is reached before discharging a LBW to the home environment leads to overcrowding of NCUs. This system undoubtedly contributes to increased morbidity and mortality due to the acquisition of secondary infections. Integral to the Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) intervention is the policy of “early discharge” to the care of the mother/family, maintaining the kangaroo position in the home environment, coupled with frequent follow-ups in specialty clinics. This policy however, has been challenged due to the risks of loss to follow-up and inability to track neonatal outcomes especially in resource-limited places where provisions for ambulatory care are not in place or if available, cannot be accessed. This paper reviews the best available evidence on benefits, risks and safety of early discharge of LBW infants weighing < 2000gm from settings with and without KMC. Whereas safety and risks post-discharge are similar in both settings, the benefits on exclusive breastfeeding rates at discharge up to 3 months thereafter, maternal-infant bonding and family involvement are clearly evident in KMC settings. Unpublished experience by the authors on this policy are also discussed. A practical guide for the implementation of the early discharge policy of the KMC intervention is outlined. The early discharge policy is contingent upon a systematic, operational outpatient follow-up program, the absence of which should motivate the KMC program coordinator to devise appropriate measures to ensure survival and safety of the LBW infant in KMC. A low-care /KMC ward or a “halfway house” have been utilized as alternatives to home discharge in areas where follow-up cannot be assured.