Nursing and Nurturing Premature Infants

Background: The unborn infant's brain is growing from the fifth month of fetal life which makes preterm babies sensitive to environmental influence. Therefore, to prevent developmental brain injury is an essential goal for neonatal nurses.

Purpose: The study investigates whether systematic use of Newborn Individualized Developmental Care Assessment Program (NIDCAP®) improves the neurological development of preterm babies and the parental competence of mothers.

Design: This study compares postnatal care of preterm babies in two neonatal units.

Participants: Preterm infants born before 32 weeks' gestational age and their mothers.

Instruments:

• Preterm babies' behaviour in intervention and control groups is observed every 7-12 days using scoring sheets.
• Questionnaires focusing on maternal self esteem when the baby is 4 weeks and again at 3 and 18 months and 5 years.

Expected outcomes:

• Infants: less time with treatment using CPAP and oxygen, growth, time of discharge and pattern of motor behaviour.
• Mothers: self reported experiences of self esteem.

Analysis: t-test Expected implications: In a health promotion perspective the systematic NIDCAP program hopefully will constitute a more competent mother, knowledgeable in child care and parental management. The intervention NIDCAP®-care infant group is expected to increase in growth compared to the control group, their motor system will be more mature, and there will be an earlier discharge, all factors contributing positively to health economy.

Inclusion criteria

• Premature infants
• The infants' biological mothers

Exclusion criteria

• Premature infants with chromosomal anomaly
• Mothers who cannot read and understand Danish