• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.131-139
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• 2020

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify factors related to developmental care performance among neonatal intensive care units (NICU) nurses. Methods: The participants were 139 nurses who had provided care to premature infants for more than 6 months and were recruited from the NICU of 8 hospitals. Data were collected from September 1 to December 1, 2017 through questionnaires that encompassed developmental care performance, developmental care perceptions, and the nursing work environment. Results: More than half (51.8%) of the participants responded that they had never received developmental care education, and for 89.6% of those who had received developmental care education, it was a one-time event. The average developmental care performance of NICU nurses was 0.81, with a range of 0.5~1 point. Multiple regression analysis, demonstrated that the nursing work environment (β=.27, p=.001) and developmental care perceptions (β=.23, p=.004) influenced developmental care performance, with a total explanatory power of 14%. Conclusion: Based on these results, developmental care education for the NICU nurses must be provided systematically. In addition, strategies to improve nurses' perceptions of developmental care and to provide appropriate support for the nursing work environment can promote developmental care performance.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.53-57
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• 2018

Even with the increasing number of high risk infants, neonatal care in Korea has undergone development with improved survival rate. This rapid improvement in the outcomes brought care quality in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to the surface. Quality improvement (QI) involves safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable, and patient-centered care. In this review, methods of QI are described with examples of NICU QI topics. Each NICU can voluntarily develop a QI project, but systematic supports are essential. As human and systemic resources in NICUs in Korea are insufficient, institutional and national supports are necessary to attain QI. Furthermore, collaborative neonatal network can provide a QI standard and evidence based-medicine, as well as QI research.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.7-17
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• 2024

Purpose: This study is to present basic data and standards for calculating the space composition and area required when planning a neonatal intensive care unit. Methods: Review domestic and foreign facility standards and regulations related to the current neonatal intensive care unit, select a regional neonatal intensive care center designated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare as a case hospital, and organize a space program for the construction plan of the neonatal intensive care unit through analysis of characteristics such as facility size and function composition. Results and Implications: The size, facility area, and detailed room composition characteristics of the neonatal intensive care unit in Korea were confirmed, and essential rooms and appropriate areas were derived when planning the construction of the neonatal intensive care unit. Korea's legal facility standards related to neonatal intensive care units are lower than the actual hospital status and overseas standards, and the facility standards of the medical law need to be improved.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.229-236
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of fatherhood among fathers of high-risk neonates and their confidence regarding neonatal care. Methods: A study was conducted of 100 fathers whose neonates had been admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for at least 48 hours. Perceptions of fatherhood, neonatal characteristics, and fathers' confidence regarding neonatal care were measured using a self-reported questionnaire. The survey took approximately 10 minutes to complete and was completed anonymously. The factors that affected fathers' confidence regarding neonatal care were analyzed using multiple regression. Results: The scores for positive and negative perceptions of fatherhood were relatively high at 4.27 and 3.42 out of 5 points, respectively. A positive perception of fatherhood was found to influence fathers' confidence regarding neonatal care. Conclusion: NICU nurses should encourage fathers to effectively perform their parenting roles by implementing educational programs and interventions to promote positive perceptions of fatherhood and fathers' confidence regarding neonatal care after discharge.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.230-237
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• 2011

Purpose: To identify the perception and practices of kangaroo care in nurses and doctors working in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) in Korea. Methods: One hundred forty-nine nurses and nineteen doctors working in the NICU from six university hospitals completed a survey questionnaire. Results: Most agreed that Kangaroo care promoted attachment and parental confidence as well as physical health of the infant. However, nurses and doctors showed a negative perception in providing kangaroo care for premature infants under 1,000 grams or within several hours after birth. Major barriers for kangaroo care were worrying about extubation and safety problems of premature infants. Married or senior nurses showed a more positive perception than others. Also nurses who worked in hospitals where kangaroo care was provided had a lower barrier perception than other nurses. Conclusion: Nurses and doctors working in NICU worried about adverse effects of kangaroo care even though they perceived positive effects. Standard education programs and manuals should be developed before dissemination of kangaroo care in Korea.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.296-308
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the noise level and frequency experienced by premature infants receiving incubator care in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Methods: The participants were 20 premature infants receiving incubator care in the NICU of a university hospital in Daejeon Metropolitan city. The noise level was measured using a professional sound-level meter (ET-958, FLUS, Shenzhen, China) based on a noise classification table developed by the author. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, the t-test, analysis of variance, and Pearson correlation coefficients using SPSS for Windows version 22.0. Results: The average noise level experienced by premature infants receiving incubator care in the NICU was 51.25 dB (range: 45.0~81.7 dB). The frequency of noises was highest for factors related to nursing activities (40.3%), followed by human factors (29.1%), machine alarm sounds (20.1%), incubator operation (6.6%), and internal environmental factors (3.9%). Conclusion: According to the above results, the noise level experienced by premature infants receiving incubator care in the NICU exceeded the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an interventional program to reduce noise in the NICU, and to conduct follow-up studies to verify its effectiveness.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.229-240
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• 2018

Purpose: This study was conducted to assess the knowledge and performance of developmentally supportive positioning for premature infants (DSPP) among neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurses. Methods: The participants in this study were 131 nurses working in the NICU at five university hospitals in Daejeon and the city of Cheong-ju. The collected data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, the t-test, analysis of variance, and Pearson correlation coefficients using SPSS for Windows version 22.0. Results: NICU nurses' average DSPP knowledge score was 24.7 out of 33.0, and their average DSPP performance score was 3.2 out of 4.0. A statistically significant positive correlation was observed between knowledge and performance of DSPP (r=.32, p<.001). Conclusion: To improve the level of NICU nurses' knowledge and performance of DSPP, educational programs should be developed and their effectiveness should be verified.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.69-84
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the state of infection control in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) including disinfection methods, disinfection cycles, and exchange cycles for medical devices and to suggest a basic framework which would help develop standardized infection control guidelines. Methods: From a list of NICU equipment developed from the NICUs in 4 tertiary hospitals, a structured questionnaire on 74 types of medical equipment was developed and sent to 31 hospitals by mail. The results were reviewed by panel of experts (56 persons), and analyzed for internal validity by a focus group (4 persons) using guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and the Korean Hospital Nurses Association. Results: The results showed various methods, cycles, disinfectant levels for the disinfectants and exchange cycles in the medical equipment infection control of the 31 hospitals. The focus group developed a 66-item basic framework based on validity testing. Conclusion: From the results of this study, a framework of infection control standards for 66 types of medical equipment in the NICU was developed. It is suggested that further study be done to more precisely establish standard infection control guidelines for NICU medical equipment.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.9-22
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the gaps in research related to developmentally supportive care in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The ultimate goal was to explore directions of further research on developmentally supportive care for premature patients. Methods: The Arksey and O'Malley scoping review method was used. Articles on developmentally supportive care for preterm infants in the NICU, written in English or Korean, were identified through electronic search engines. A total of 279 papers were identified in the initial search, of which 22 full-text papers were included in this review. Results: Several nursing studies have been published in the past 5 years. The important elements of developmentally supportive care were family-centered care and management of the NICU environment. The primary developmentally supportive care interventions were training programs to promote the care competency of NICU nurses. Conclusion: It is necessary to actively develop comprehensive developmental support interventions that consider the various elements of developmentally supportive care for preterm infants. Additional studies should be done to develop programs that provide direct intervention for premature infant and their families.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.407-419
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the meaning and essence of a mother's experience of hospitalization of her newborn in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Methods: This study employed a qualitative research design. An interview was conducted with a mother whose newborn was hospitalized in the NICU, and the data were analyzed using Giorgi's phenomenological method. Results: Five main themes and 19 formulated meanings were indentified. The 5 themes were 'drowning in pain', 'just look outside the glass door', 'being a pillar', 'a deepening attachment', and 'prepare for nurturing with hope'. Conclusion: The results of this study provided an in-depth understanding of the experience of a mother with a newborn in the NICU. These results can be used in the development of a nursing intervention program that provides psychological and emotional support to the mother and family.