Implementing a Parent Education Program in the Special Care Nursery

Area of Science:

• Neonatal care
• Maternal-infant bonding
• Quality improvement in healthcare

Background:

• Parental stress is common in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) and Special Care Nurseries (SCNs) due to the intimidating environment and infant hospitalization.
• Long infant stays in SCNs can cause emotional distress for parents, necessitating interventions to reduce stress and enhance caregiving confidence.
• Preparing parents for post-discharge care is crucial for successful infant transition and family well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the HUG Your Baby parent education and support program.
• To assess the program's impact on maternal stress and confidence in mothers of preterm infants.
• To determine the program's effectiveness in a Level II SCN setting.

Main Methods:

• A quality improvement pilot project was implemented.
• The HUG Your Baby program was delivered to postpartum mothers of preterm infants (born <35 weeks gestation).
• Maternal stress and confidence levels were measured during infant hospitalization.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant decrease in maternal stress was observed.
• A statistically significant increase in maternal confidence was demonstrated.
• The program showed positive outcomes in a Level II SCN.

Conclusions:

• The HUG Your Baby program is an effective parent education and support intervention.
• The program demonstrably reduces maternal stress and increases confidence.
• NICU and SCN families would benefit from implementing the HUG Your Baby program.