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Published:
May 27, 2019DOI:
10.4314/rjmhs.v2i2.5Keywords:
Article Details
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Main Article Content
Educational intervention to increase parental care of preterm neonates at district hospital in Kigali
Abstract
Background: A preterm neonate usually requires specialised care in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Nurses in the NICU are the primary source of parental education particularly for preterm neonates.
Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a preterm infant care educational program on parental knowledge acquisition in the NICU.
Methods: A quasi-experimental pre-test post-test design was used. A convenience sample of 53 parents with preterm infants was recruited at a district hospital NICU in 2017 in Kigali. The twohour evidenced-based intervention in the local language of Kinyarwanda included five Global Health Media Project videos and a power-point presentation on the knowledge and skills to improve maternal and neonatal health. Data analysis included descriptive and inferential statistics.
Results: The mean correct pre-test knowledge score was 54%, and the mean correct post-test score was 92%, indicating a significant increase (38%) of correct responses after the intervention.
Conclusion: An educational intervention was found to be effective in improving parental knowledge in caring for preterm infants in a district hospital NICU in Kigali. This evidenced-based intervention could become routine for neonatal nurses in NICUs throughout Rwanda.
Keywords: NICU, educational program, parents, preterm birth, prematurity
