Staff experiences in implementing guidelines for Kangaroo Mother Care--a qualitative study

The aim of this study was to investigate staff experiences in implementing guidelines for Kangaroo Mother Care in neonatal care. The study was part of a randomized controlled trial, the overall goal of which was to assess the impact of external facilitation. A total of eight focus group interviews were held at two intervention and two control units. The establishment of a change team to implement the guideline resulted in activities that impacted staff behaviour, which in turn was perceived to influence patients' well-being. The guideline and contextual factors, such as leadership and staff colleagues' attitudes, were of significant importance in that process. The study intervention--facilitation--promoted implementation activities and was highly appreciated by the change teams. However, reviewing the development of events at one of the control units, the provided facilitation appeared to be no more effective than an improvement-focused organizational culture in which the nurse manager was actively involved in the change process. Overall, learning and behaviour change seemed to be a social phenomenon, something that greatly benefited from people's interaction with one another.