Nur 540: Research Utilization

Nur 540: Research Utilization

Neonatal Resuscitation: Beliefs and Practices

Introduction

The research shows that high rates of maternal, neonatal and child mortality are highly linked with insufficient and inadequate health services. The past studies have concluded that the explicit, well managed and evidence based package of interventions can be very helpful in improving the health care process (WHO, 2010). According to a jointly published report by PMNCH, WHO and Aga Khan University, (2011), the maternal mortality rate is significantly high in developing countries. Nearly, 358,000 women die during pregnancy and childbirth period. According to the report, nearly 7.6 million children live no more than 5 years. Nearly, 40% of deaths occur during the first 28 days of life and from those, approximately one half of newborn deaths occur during first 24 hours.

The proper interventions/treatments can save thousands of lives. The particular intervention I have chosen is Neonatal Resuscitation; the intervention after the birth of a baby to help its heart beat and to help him/her breath properly. In short, resuscitation is the process of helping the baby with Airway, Breathing and Circulation. The reason I have chosen this particular intervention is that “asphyxia”; the condition arising from lack of oxygen to newborn infants. Neonatal Resuscitation can be very vital for a newborn baby. Such interventions can cause the mortality rate to fall and to shape a better health standard, especially for developing countries.

Problem Statement

Neonatal Resuscitation being one of the most significant interventions in neonatal care requires nurses and hospital staff to be trained enough to perform such activity.

Literature Review

Neonatal Resuscitation is a vital component of health care package. Neonatal Resuscitation training is a requirement for birth attendants in US. Over 2 million health care providers have been educated and trained in providing Neonatal Resuscitation in USA (Escobedo, 2008). Traditionally resuscitation has been a role of junior staff. Necessary skills were learnt through apprenticeship and then improved and transferred to next generation of doctors across the time. However, new clinical practices have disturbed the cycle. Practices regarding suctioning of meconium, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and neonatal t-piece resuscitator (Neopuff) are widely made (Neal et al, 2008). Therefore, hospital management always tries to acquire experts in this particular area.

If, at birth, the baby is full term (37-41 weeks gestational age), is breathing or crying, muscle tone in flexion without meconium-stained amniotic fluid, he has good vitality and does not require any resuscitation maneuver. Studies with term infants concluded that late cord clamping is beneficial with respect to hematological indices inage 3-6 months, although it may increase the need for phototherapy for hyperbilirubinemia indirect in the first week of life. Based on these studies, it is recommended that the term infants' good health and vitality is positioned at the birth of the placenta level by one to three minutes before Clamp the umbilical cord.

The skin-to-skin with the mother immediately after birth, at room temperature 26 º C, ambient reduces the risk of hypothermia in term newborns with good vitality, since ...