Improving the Quality of Nursing Care for Neonates Receiving Total Parenteral Nutrition

Abstract

The aim of the study is to improve the quality of nursing care for neonates receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN) through: assessing nurses' knowledge and performance regarding care of neonates receiving TPN, designing, implementing, and evaluating the effect of the training program on improving nurses’ knowledge and practice regarding to care of neonates receiving TPN. A purposive sample of sixty nurses and one hundred and five neonates who are receiving TPN were included in the study from Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) at Maternity and Gynecological Hospital, and Children’s Hospital affiliated to Ain shams University Hospitals. A questionnaire format and observational checklist were the study tools used in collecting data to assess nurses' knowledge and performance. A training program was designed according to nursing need assessment. The researcher collected the required data before implementation of the program, immediately after and at follow up. The results of the study revealed that, the majority (90%) of studied nurses improved in their knowledge immediately after implementation of the program while, more than two thirds of them (70.5%) improved in their knowledge at follow up. In addition, more than half of nurses (58.3%) were competent in their performance immediately after implementation of the program while, more than one third (41%) of them competent in their performance at follow up. Accordingly, the study concluded that implementation of the program had a positive effect on the improvement of nurses’ knowledge and performance regarding care of neonates receiving TPN. The study recommended a continuous training program for neonatal nurses about TPN. The provision of an job training concerning care of neonates receiving TPN is highly recommended .Developing the national standards neonatal nursing protocol to be applied for all Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). Keywords: Total Parenteral Nutrition, Training Program