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Caring about Preemies' Safe Sleep (CaPSS): An Educational Program to Improve Adherence to Safe Sleep Recommendations
Donna A Dowling1, Sarah Gutin Barsman, Paula Forsythe
1Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (Drs Dowling and Damato and Ms Barsman); and UH Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio (Ms Forsythe).
Insights
Parents of preterm infants showed increased knowledge of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) risk-reduction recommendations after an online educational module. Pacifier use increased, but other SIDS prevention practices need improvement.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Public health
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Preterm infants face a doubled risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) compared to term infants.
- Targeted SIDS prevention programs are crucial for parents of high-risk infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To pilot test an online educational module on SIDS risk-reduction recommendations (RRRs) for parents of preterm infants.
- To evaluate the module's impact on parental knowledge and infant care practices.
Main Methods:
- A repeated-measures design was employed in a level IV NICU.
- Mothers completed pre-module, post-module, and 4-week postdischarge surveys.
- The "Caring about Preemies' Safe Sleep" (CaPSS) module was delivered online.
Main Results:
- Mothers' SIDS knowledge significantly increased post-module and at 4-week follow-up.
- Pacifier use at sleep times increased significantly after module completion.
- Adherence to room-sharing and breastfeeding recommendations remained suboptimal.
Conclusions:
- The CaPSS online module effectively enhanced parental knowledge of SIDS RRRs for preterm infants.
- While pacifier use improved, consistent adoption of all SIDS RRRs requires further intervention.
- Online education presents a viable method for disseminating SIDS prevention strategies to high-risk families.
Abstract:
Preterm infants born before 37 weeks' gestation die of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) at a rate more than double that of term infants. There is a need for SIDS prevention programs tailored to the specific needs of parents of high-risk infants. The purpose of this study was to pilot test an online educational module addressing SIDS risk-reduction recommendations (RRRs) for parents of preterm infants. This study was conducted in a 44-bed transitional care unit at a level IV NICU in the Midwest. A repeated-measures design was used. Two weeks before discharge, mothers completed a survey, addressing knowledge and plans for caring for their baby at home. Mothers then viewed the 5-section Caring about Preemies' Safe Sleep (CaPSS) education module and completed the postmodule evaluation. A discharge survey was completed 4 weeks postdischarge. Fifteen mothers, mean age 26.4 years, participated; 8 (53%) returned the postdischarge survey. Module evaluation rated clarity and completeness of information high. Mothers' ratings of SIDS knowledge were significantly higher after viewing the module (P = .000) and 4 weeks after discharge home (P = .012). Mothers found the use of a pacifier at sleep times to be new information and changed their plans for caring for their infant, with 28.6% of mothers always offering a pacifier before sleep after discharge compared with the 6.7% who had planned to do this before discharge. However, only 71% of infants slept in parents' room after discharge and only 41% were receiving at least some breast milk, which are not consistent with SIDS RRRs.