Tiny Heart Bundle Qi Project: 3d Modeling To Improve Care Of Cardiac Nicu Patients, Stacy Ranee Harris

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Background—Infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) are being care for in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) by increasing numbers of novice nurses. Understanding complex cardiac anatomy is imperative to novice nurses’ readiness to care. Parents of infants with CHD may not understand their child’s anatomy, which impacts many facets of their care.

Purpose— The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project was to determine if education, including 3D heart models improved novice nurse readiness to care for NICU patients with CHD and if parental understanding improves after receiving education with 3D heart models.

Methods— This was a plan-do-study-act (PDSA) …

The Nicu Nurse’S Aptitude In Teaching Neuroprotective Care To Caregivers Of Neonates, Lucy Bradley

Honors College Theses

Preterm neonates are at risk of developmental delays, behavioral problems, and mental health challenges. Neuroprotective care is essential to mitigate these risks, and nurses play a crucial role in educating caregivers on these practices. This study aims to investigate neonatal nurses' knowledge and confidence in teaching caregivers about neuroprotective care and to determine the extent to which caregivers implement these practices. A mixed-methods research design will be employed, using a survey to collect data from neonatal nurses who have at least one year of experience working in a NICU. The survey will assess nurses' understanding of neuroprotective care, their confidence …

Developing A Trauma-Informed Family-Centered Care Toolkit For Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Nurses, Sonja A. Alli-Casella

DNP Qualifying Manuscripts

Background: The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) may be a stressful, traumatizing, or re-traumatizing experience for parents of critically ill newborns and infants.

Problem: NICU nurses and other healthcare providers may not realize their impact on parental stress responses as neonatal care providers may not have adequate training to support adults experiencing acute emotional distress.

Methods: Strong evidence supports using family-centered care (FCC) in the NICU to promote bonding and parental involvement in caring for their infants. This manuscript aims to review current research and literature on trauma-informed care training and its impact on nurse confidence in managing dysregulated adults, …

Implementation Of Telemedicine In A Level Iii Nicu To Reduce Transfer Of Infants, Jennifer L. Welch

MSN Capstone Projects

In July 2012, a hospital located in North Texas opened its 9 bed Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Level II NICU is limited to the admission of infants with a gestational age of 32 weeks and above. There has been tremendous growth and expansion of the NICU resulting in an expansion to 13 licensed beds and gaining Level III NICU designation in 2017. Level III designation enables the care of infants that are 23 weeks or greater and have more complex medical conditions to be cared for. In the current competitive market of health care services, it is …

A Study To Assess The Effect Of Back Massage On Amount Of Breast Milk Among Mothers Of Neonates Admitted In Nicu At A Selected Hospital, Calicut., Aswathi A, Soya K

Manipal Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences

Abstract

Breastfeeding is one of the most natural act and intimate human interaction. Separation of mother and baby after birth creates an interruption in maintaining lactation. The main objective of this study was to identify the effect of back massage on amount of breast milk among mothers of neonates admitted in NICU. An experimental pretest-posttest control group design was adopted. The tools used were baseline proforma, calibrated breastmilk measuring cup and breast milk volume diary. Subjects were selected using consecutive sampling and allocated as 30 in each group. As first step baseline data were collected. Then the amount of expressed …

Reducing Paternal Stress In The Nicu: The Role Of Supportive Nursing Interventions, Kylie Bennett

Nursing | Student Research Posters

The neonatal intensive care unit, also known as the NICU, is a special unit for newborn babies who require intensive medical care (Stanford Medicine Children's Health, 2019). As of February 2024, 1 in 10 infants born in the United States is admitted to the NICU (Goodman et al., 2024). An infant’s NICU hospitalization generates significant stress for parents. Fathers of NICU infants often face unique stressors, and are commonly overlooked in the NICU environment (Rajabzadeh et al, 2020). With limited research on nursing interventions to address this stress specifically for fathers, this emphasizes the importance of exploring the stressors and …

The Effect Of A Neonatal Palliative Care Education Program In Increasing Knowledge And Communication Self-Efficacy Among Nicu Nurses, Shiou-Huei Joy Wang

Doctoral Projects

Background: Neonatal palliative care is crucial to providing comprehensive, high-quality care to neonates with life-limiting or life-threatening health conditions and their families. One significant barrier to the inconsistent provision of neonatal palliative care is the lack of education. This project aimed to deliver an education training program to increase neonatal palliative care knowledge and self-efficacy in NICU nurses. Method: A pre-post-test study design was used to examine the efficacy of an educational training program on NICU nurses’ knowledge and communication self-efficacy in neonatal palliative care. A post-test was administered immediately after the training and again four weeks later to evaluate …

Recognizing Risk Factors Of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia In Neonates ≥ 24 And ≤ 32 Weeks Of Gestational Age, Hannah Tatro

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic lung condition that is diagnosed among neonates who are on oxygen therapy for longer than 28 days. BPD causes insufficient gas exchange due to prematurely developed lungs and is the most common condition that causes morbidity of prematurity. Many risk factors contribute to the development of this condition and relate to care from the delivery room to the first few days of life.

Purpose: The purpose of this literature review is to examine risk factors related to the development of BPD in neonates from the gestational ages of 24 to 32 weeks.

Methods: …

Kangaroo Care And Improved Physiological Status In Preterm Infants, Kira Harkonen

Wisdom & Compassion: The LUSON Journal

Preterm births continue to cause long-term sequelae for infants worldwide. Interventions in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) that promote better outcomes can make an impact on preterm infants’ futures. The purpose of this review was to determine if kangaroo care has positive physiological effects on preterm infants in the NICU. Practice changes to enhance kangaroo care in the NICU include reducing barriers such as medical complexity and staff misconceptions as well as facilitating increased parental presence. The review of the literature found evidence to support the positive outcomes that kangaroo care has on neonates’ growth, vital signs, stress outcomes, …

Human Milk At Discharge, Leslie D. Meredith

All Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

Problem: In a 16-bed neonatal intensive care unit, there was a lack of support for lactating mothers. As infants were admitted, mothers experienced up to a 48-hour delay in lactation support to initiate breastfeeding or pumping.

Aim of the Project: The aim of this project was to ensure lactating parents had adequate support for breastfeeding and pumping to increase human milk at discharge rate. Project interventions aligned with Ohio First Steps for Healthy Babies.

Review of the Evidence: Evidence showed that human milk discharge rates improved with lactation support. Additionally, noted was a significant increase in exclusive breastfeeding, or …

Sterile Tubing Changes To Prevent Clabsis In The Nicu, Rachel Janson, Megan Meyer

Nursing Posters

Purpose Statement:

NICU patients have a decreased risk of CLABSI infections when two-person sterile central line changes are implemented into central line maintenance bundles compared to bundles that only use one-person clean line change techniques.

Background:

Neonates admitted to the neonatal care intensive care unit (NICU) often require the placement of central lines for the administration of medications, fluids, parental nutrition, and hemodynamic monitoring. Despite their many advantages, central lines can lead to serious infections, known as cental line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI). These infections are not related to an infection from another site and develop within forty-eight hours of …

Kangaroo Care Education For Low Socioeconomic Status Families In The Neonatal Care Unit, Joara Peterson

Nursing | Student Research Posters

The early contact between mother and baby is known as skin-to-skin, also referred to as “kangaroo care” (KC). It involves placing the baby on the mother’s chest as soon as it is appropriate (Thompson, 1979). This interaction was primarily for bonding but many researchers have discovered additional benefits. There is significant correlation between kangaroo care and weight gain (especially for low birth weight infants), as well as body temperature and heart rate regulation, which reduces the risk of medical complications. It also decreases levels of stress in mothers and babies by lowering the release of cortisol hormone (Mohammadi et al. …

The Effects Of Loud Nicu Environments On Premature Infants And Interventions To Help Minimize Noise, Elsy Gramajo

Nursing | Senior Theses

Noise in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) often exceeds recommended safe noise levels and has been found to have negative effects on premature infants and their health. Some of these effects can be changes in their heart rate, respiratory rate, and sleep patterns. In addition, negative effects, such as hearing loss, can cause permanent damage that impact children's long-term development. A preterm infant is an infant born before 37 weeks’ gestation. Being born prematurely comes with its own problems and many risks. Attempting to survive in an environment that causes more stress is not healing. Understanding the effects of …

Kangaroo Care Education For Low Socioeconomic Status Families In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit., Joara Peterson

Nursing | Senior Theses

The early contact between mother and baby is known as skin-to-skin, also referred to as “kangaroo care” (KC). It involves placing the baby on the mother’s chest as soon as it is appropriate (Thompson et al., 1979). This interaction was primarily for bonding but many researchers have discovered additional benefits. There is significant correlation between kangaroo care and weight gain (especially for low birth weight infants), as well as body temperature and heart rate regulation, which reduces the risk of medical complications. It also decreases levels of stress in mothers and babies by lowering the release of cortisol hormone (Mohammadi …

The Effects Of Kangaroo Care On The Stress Levels Of Parents In The Nicu, Niyati Sishodia

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Parents of NICU patients have high stress levels compared to other populations, which negatively impact their mental health. The kangaroo care (KC) method has been used for its numerous benefits for infants, but not as widely studied for its impacts on parental stress. The purpose of this integrative literature review is to examine and synthesize the existing evidence regarding kangaroo care and its impact on the stress levels of NICU parents.

Methods: A literature search was conducted utilizing CINAHL Plus with Full Text, MEDLINE, and APA PsychInfo databases to identify relevant articles. Articles were included if they were published …

Improving Donor Bank Milk Administration Workflow In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Davelyn M. Moffit

Master's Projects and Capstones

_Abstract

Problem: Improvement in the donor bank milk (DBM) administration workflows is required to reduce documentation errors and discrepancies. Increased awareness of errors and their impact on quality, safety, and risk management is imperative to optimize clinical, operational, and financial outcomes, as well as a hospital’s reputation.

Context: Research shows human milk is beneficial to the growth of premature and medically-diagnosed term infants. Regulatory agencies recommend standards and guidelines to handle human milk and to monitor compliance and safety practices of healthcare organizations.

Intervention: An audit tool and process map were created to internally monitor the current process for DBM …

Improving Healthcare Team Communication With Limited English Proficiency Families In The Nicu, Ivonne Mandell

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Language barriers are common in healthcare settings, creating disparities in care between individuals with limited English proficiency and those with English proficiency. In the NICU setting, professional medical interpreters have been shown to improve parent/staff communication and increase parent satisfaction by allowing parents to ask questions and form trusting relationships with staff. Solid parent-provider communication can result in better health outcomes by increasing parental empowerment and participation in their child’s care. Despite the acknowledged advantages of using professional interpreters in healthcare settings, they are frequently under-utilized, even when readily available. The purpose of this project was to improve communication with …

Tiny Tusks Internship: Barriers To Breastfeeding Surrounding Neonatal Intensive Care Units, Quinn Owen, Brianna Purser

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Breastfeeding has proven itself beneficial to both baby and mother for many reasons. However, many mothers do not breastfeed their infants. In fact, only 1 in 4 mothers breastfeed for the first 6 months of life. Experiences in the clinical setting and knowledge gained as interns for Tiny Tusks, a breastfeeding and infant support group for sporting events at the University of Arkansas, sparked the desire to understand the staggering statistic.This literature review seeks to understand barriers to breastfeeding, specifically, barriers to breastfeeding as it pertains to neonatal intensive care units (NICU).

Nicu Nurses’ Varying Levels Of And Experiences With Moral Distress While Caring For Infants With Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, Sarah Battaglia

Honors Scholar Theses

Background: Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is both a physical and psychological dependence on opioids. When a woman with OUD becomes pregnant, Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) can occur in her child. NAS occurs when the infant shows manifestations of withdrawal, due to the exposure to opioids in the womb being abruptly discontinued once born. Nurses that care for mothers with OUD and their infants with NAS report varying degrees of moral distress related to preexisting stigmas, a lack of education on the chronic disease of addiction, and the multitude of ethical dilemmas experienced while caring for this vulnerable population of mothers …

Implementation Of A Zone Of Silence During Administration Of Breastmilk To Decrease Nurses’ Distractions In A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Quality Improvement Project, Lauren Crociata

DNP Projects

Introduction: In the NICU, breastmilk is handled and administered as safely and carefully as a medication. Administration errors occur when incorrect breastmilk is administered to the wrong patient. This can lead to the transmission of infectious disease and create the loss of trust between families and the healthcare team during a neonate’s NICU stay. Nurses are often faced with interruptions and distractions during administration, and evidence shows that interventions to reduce nurses’ distractions lead to reduction of administration errors in inpatient settings. This quality improvement project took place in a level III NICU. It implemented an evidence-based zone of silence …

Risk Factors Contributing To Urinary Tract Infections (Uti) In Neonates, Jennifer V. Harshman

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Urinary tract infections (UTI) in neonates are caused by many types of risk factors such as increased length of maternal labor, physiologic maternal conditions, prematurity, and decreased birth weight. Identification of potential risk factors for UTI in neonates can lead to rapid assessment and early interventions to treat urinary infection in the neonate before it transitions to a severe or life-threatening condition, such as a kidney infection or septicemia.

The primary purpose of this literature review was to examine risk factors predisposing neonates to UTI. The secondary purpose was to identify if length of time to drug therapy used to …

Effect Of Anticipatory Guidance On Parental Knowledge And Anxiety Prior To Discharge Of Infant From The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit To Home, Stephanie Kelty

DNP Projects

Background: Lack of adequate parental education and discharge readiness from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) increases the risk for poor infant outcomes, hospital readmissions, postpartum depression, parental anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. One component of parental readiness at discharge is receiving anticipatory guidance from a trusted healthcare provider prior to discharge.

Purpose/Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of provider-led anticipatory guidance to enhance parents’ knowledge regarding high-risk infant behaviors and decrease anxiety related to caring for their high-risk infant after NICU discharge. Additionally, this study aimed to assess parental opinions about the value of anticipatory guidance sessions. …

Neonatal Toxic Stress And Long-Term Neurodevelopment In Premature Infants, Rachelle Sey

Dissertations

Background: Evidence suggests the presence of complex biologic connections between the social environment, neurologic development, and long-term health. Premature infants spend many months in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) often separated from their parent(s). Decrease in the age of viability threshold allows extremely preterm infants to benefit from lifesaving therapies; however, they are frequently exposed to significant stressors that increase their risk for adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship among socio-demographic factors, exposure to stressors in the NICU environment, stress modifiers/buffers, neonatal morbidities at discharge, and 1. 2-year neurodevelopmental outcomes and …

Improving Nurses’ Provision Of Neuroprotective Care In The Nicu: A Quality Improvement Project, Tammi Reeves-Messner

Doctoral Projects

Infants born prematurely (less than 37 weeks’ gestation) require specialized medical and nursing care to survive. Most of these babies require some form of respiratory, cardiovascular, thermal, and nutritional support as their bodies are not yet physiologically mature enough to handle these basic functions on their own. These supports include basic care such as diaper changes and feeding as well as life-saving interventions which include ventilation, intravenous nutrition, thermal regulation, and vasoactive medications. Depending on their gestational age or their diagnoses, they may require higher levels of support, such as nitric oxide gas delivered via a ventilator (Lai et al, …

Facilitation Of Enviromental Factors To Reduce Sound Decibels In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Literature Review, Cassandra Hanlon

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This literature review investigates nursing interventions to reduce decibel levels in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The secondary purpose of this review was to evaluate if the interventions to reduce noise in the NICU had different outcomes for normal weight premature infants and infants afflicted with neonatal abstinence syndrome. The data bases for completing this review were Google Scholar, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL Plus), PubMed, and Elton B. Stephens Co. (EBSCO). The key search words included ‘NICU and decibels', ‘reducing decibels', ‘neonatal abstinence syndrome' ‘decibels', ‘preterm infants' and 'normal weight preterm infant*'. The …

The Nicu Experience: Supporting Families & Providing Resources, Annie Zitelli

Senior Honors Projects

ANNIE ZITELLI (Nursing)

The NICU Experience: Supporting Families & Providing Resources

Sponsors: Colleen Kenny (Nursing)

This project aims to explore and understand the needs of family members who have an infant in the NICU to identify any gaps in resources and/or support hospitals provide to these families. The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) provides optimal care for infants who are not fully developed or have serious health conditions. When an infant is brought to the NICU, parents and family members experience a flood of emotions. While families are trying to process the reality of having an infant in such a …

An Extensive Literature Review On Neonatal Pain Assessment & Management, Bailey Bishop

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Neonatal pain assessment and management is a field requiring much more research. This literature review outlines the current climate of neonatal pain assessment, compares a variety of neonatal pain scales on validity and clinical utility, and implications for how neonatal pain management can be improved. Neonates experience pain to the same degree, if not more, than everyone else. Unmanaged pain during the neonatal period leads to adverse health outcomes. In order to prevent these atrocities from this vulnerable population, NICU pain assessing needs to become the standard of care.

The Relationship Between Low Socioeconomic Status And Mortality Rates Of School Age Children Related To Motor Vehicle Accidents, Rubi Calderon-Rodriguez

Nursing | Senior Theses

The purpose of this study is to assess nurses’ perceptions on the relationship between low socioeconomic status and high mortality rates of children due to motor vehicle accidents(MVAs). MVAs are the leading cause of death among children four years and older. Studies reviewed in this paper support that low socioeconomic status is associated with high child mortality rates caused by motor vehicle accidents. Factors contributing to these high mortality rates include: the lack of or improper use of restraints, low parental education attainment levels, black or Hispanic race, and environmental risks of low socioeconomic areas. A mixed methods study is …

Benefits Of Infant-Driven Feeding In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Literature Review, Maddison Carroll

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Current policy in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) is to prescribe a volume of formula or milk to ingest a certain number of times per day to infants admitted to the NICU. The method of infant-driven feeding (IDF) is believed to be a superior alternative that allows the infants to determine the timing and volume consumed and leads to better patient outcomes. To be considered in this review, the studies were required to be primary sources that were peer- reviewed, conducted in the last five years, and had to include at least one of three outcomes: weight gain, time to …

Fathers' Experiences With Their Premature Infants Or Unhealthy Neonates, Lisa Cummings

Dissertations

Author: Lisa Cummings PhD RN

Fathers’ Experiences with Their Premature Infants or Unhealthy Neonates

Purpose and Background/Significance: Fifteen million babies worldwide are born prematurely each year, impacting a multitude of fathers. The importance of an early close father-infant relationship has been identified as central for the development of the child. Fathers influence on a child’s emotional and cognitive development and their physical well-being and health. Many times, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is the initial contact environment between a father and his premature infant. Studies have shown that the NICU can be a stressful environment for parents, producing emotional …