Improving the Clinical Skills and Knowledge of Midwives and Nurses Caring for Late Preterm Neonates

Due to changes in funding, late pre-term neonates are no longer admitted to neonatal units unless diagnosed with a specific medical condition. Consequently, neonates born at a gestational age of 35 weeks and 0 days to 36 weeks and 6 days are cared for on postnatal wards. Compared with full-term infants, late preterm neonates are at increased risk of hypothermia, hypoglycemia, hyperbilirubinemia, feeding difficulties, respiratory complications, and mortality.

An educational intervention focusing on the care of the late preterm neonate was developed, and quantitative data were collected pre- and post-intervention to assess the effect on knowledge, skills, and attitudes.

Of the midwives and nurses who participated, 65% (n = 13) strongly agreed and 35% (n = 7) agreed their knowledge and confidence had increased. The mean score increased from a range of 20 to 25 pre-intervention to 22 to 25 post-intervention.

The intervention increased the self-reported confidence and self-reported competence of participants, who also felt more supported caring for late preterm neonates. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2019;50(12):551-556.].