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Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Utilization of the Premature Birth Knowledge Scale to Assess Pediatric Provider Knowledge of Neurodevelopmental
Insights
Pediatric nurse practitioners demonstrated a 53.9% accuracy in understanding neurodevelopmental outcomes for premature infants. Increased perceived preparation correlated with better knowledge of long-term effects.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Healthcare
- Neurodevelopmental Outcomes
- Premature Infant Care
Background:
- Prematurity impacts 10-12% of US children, causing lasting physical, psychological, and neurodevelopmental impairments.
- Understanding long-term outcomes is crucial for effective pediatric care and family support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate pediatric primary and specialty care providers' knowledge of neurodevelopmental outcomes in children born prematurely.
- To assess the accuracy of knowledge regarding long-term consequences of prematurity.
Main Methods:
- An online survey was administered to Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP) members of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners.
- The 33-item Premature Birth Knowledge Scale (PB-KS) was used to assess knowledge of neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Main Results:
- The average PB-KS score was 17.8 out of 33, indicating 53.9% accuracy.
- Neither years of experience as a registered nurse nor as a PNP predicted performance on the PB-KS.
- Higher PB-KS scores correlated with a greater perceived level of preparation to care for prematurely born children.
Conclusions:
- This study is the first to utilize the PB-KS with pediatric primary and specialty providers.
- PNPs are pivotal in educating and supporting families of premature infants.
- Accurate knowledge of current neurodevelopmental outcomes is essential for PNPs to effectively fulfill their role.
Introduction:
Prematurity affects a significant portion (10-12%) of children in the Unites States, with potential for physical, psychological, neurodevelopmental, and behavioral impairments continuing long past the neonatal period. The specific aim of this research was to evaluate pediatric primary and specialty care providers' knowledge and understanding of neurodevelopmental outcomes of children born prematurely.
Methods:
Pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) members of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners participated in an online survey using the 33-item Premature Birth Knowledge Scale (PB-KS) to assess their knowledge of current neurodevelopmental outcomes of children born prematurely.
Results:
Neither years of practice as a registered nurse nor as a PNP predicted performance on the PB-KS. The mean score on the PB-KS in the PNP sample was 17.8 (possible score = 0-33), with a mean accuracy of 53.9%. Higher scores on the PB-KS were correlated with higher perceived level of preparation to care for children born prematurely.
Discussion:
To our knowledge, this is the first study to use the PB-KS with pediatric primary and specialty providers. PNPs are uniquely situated to educate and support families facing the long-term consequences of premature birth; to do so they must maintain accurate understanding of current outcomes.
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