Abstract
Background - The project was a response to the lack of sensory friendly interventions in the author's clinical facility. After audit review, the staff was found lacking in knowledge and practices. Based on the audit review, literature and expert opinions, components were developed to use in training for quality improvement.
Purpose - Creating a culture of sensory developmental care for prematurely born infants through an interprofessional quality improvement initiative in a neonatal intensive care unit.
Methods - Awareness opportunities were created for the interprofessional healthcare team on a monthly basis. A range of topics was identified and advocated for through training sessions, in-the-moment training, posters and communication file, focusing on a specific sense each month.
Results - Non-compliance was due to lack of knowledge or understanding of the sensory development of prematurely born infants, but the NICU staff were eager to support researched practices. Difficulty was found to encourage temporary staff members. Overall, after baseline assessment was repeated, an improvement was noted, but further training and motivation was still required. A high turnover in management created difficulties in establishing sustained support. This delayed full implementation of the initiative. It was thus difficult to determine probabilities of sustained development of the project, but continued practice of initiatives and follow-up are expected to achieve sustained practice of sensory developmental care of the infants.
Conclusions
- Sensory developmental care of prematurely born infants improved post education and awareness creation. For future endeavors staff will be involved in the management of initiatives in order to boost accountability.
- Compliance with policies need to be improved.
- Posters on the specific topics contribute vastly to display important points of policies and care.
- Inter-professional teamwork is important to enhance quality care.
Implications - The initiative will continue, attempting to distribute the initiative throughout the hospital group's neonatal facilities in South Africa. It is expected to improve outcomes for neonates and their families.
Sigma Membership
Non-member
Lead Author Affiliation
Life Suikerbosrand Hospital, Heidelberg, South Africa
Type
Poster
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Quality Improvement
Research Approach
Translational Research/Evidence-based Practice
Keywords:
Maternal-Child Health, Sensory Development, Neonatal Outcome
Recommended Citation
Troskie, Klarissa; van der Merwe, Wanda; and Maree, Carin, "A quality improvement initiative to create a positive environment for sensory developmental care in a neonatal intensive care unit" (2019). Maternal-Child Health Nurse Leadership - Africa. 1.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/mchnla/2019/posters/1
Conference Name
Inter-professional Education and Collaborative Practice for Africa Conference
Conference Host
Tau Lambda at-Large Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International||Amref International University||WHO-FIC Collaborating Centre for the African region||Africa Interprofessional Education Network (AfrIPEN)||WHO Regional Office for Africa
Conference Location
Nairobi, Kenya
Conference Year
2019
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.
All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Faculty/Mentor Approved: Sigma Academy Participant Poster
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
A quality improvement initiative to create a positive environment for sensory developmental care in a neonatal intensive care unit
Nairobi, Kenya
Background - The project was a response to the lack of sensory friendly interventions in the author's clinical facility. After audit review, the staff was found lacking in knowledge and practices. Based on the audit review, literature and expert opinions, components were developed to use in training for quality improvement.
Purpose - Creating a culture of sensory developmental care for prematurely born infants through an interprofessional quality improvement initiative in a neonatal intensive care unit.
Methods - Awareness opportunities were created for the interprofessional healthcare team on a monthly basis. A range of topics was identified and advocated for through training sessions, in-the-moment training, posters and communication file, focusing on a specific sense each month.
Results - Non-compliance was due to lack of knowledge or understanding of the sensory development of prematurely born infants, but the NICU staff were eager to support researched practices. Difficulty was found to encourage temporary staff members. Overall, after baseline assessment was repeated, an improvement was noted, but further training and motivation was still required. A high turnover in management created difficulties in establishing sustained support. This delayed full implementation of the initiative. It was thus difficult to determine probabilities of sustained development of the project, but continued practice of initiatives and follow-up are expected to achieve sustained practice of sensory developmental care of the infants.
Conclusions
- Sensory developmental care of prematurely born infants improved post education and awareness creation. For future endeavors staff will be involved in the management of initiatives in order to boost accountability.
- Compliance with policies need to be improved.
- Posters on the specific topics contribute vastly to display important points of policies and care.
- Inter-professional teamwork is important to enhance quality care.
Implications - The initiative will continue, attempting to distribute the initiative throughout the hospital group's neonatal facilities in South Africa. It is expected to improve outcomes for neonates and their families.