SAFE-T tool validation: An inpatient shift-based screening tool for infant safe sleep

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Public Health
• Healthcare Quality Improvement

Background:

• Sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) is a critical public health issue, accounting for over 3500 infant deaths annually in the US.
• Knowledge and practice gaps in infant safe sleep are prevalent in inpatient settings, necessitating targeted interventions.
• Existing screening tools may not adequately address the complexities of safe sleep practices within a hospital environment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To modify and establish the content validity of the Safe Sleep Screening Tool (SAFE-T), an inpatient shift-based screening tool.
• To develop a reliable instrument for assessing and promoting safe sleep environments for infants in healthcare settings.
• To address the need for standardized tools to improve safe sleep knowledge and practices among healthcare providers.

Main Methods:

• A national sample of hospital-based infant safe sleep program professionals participated in e-Delphi rounds.
• Surveys were used to gather feedback on the original tool items and modified versions.
• Consensus was defined as 80% agreement on tool items, with iterative revisions based on participant feedback.

Main Results:

• Thirty-two professionals from 28 institutions participated, with 78% retention across three survey rounds.
• The SAFE-T tool underwent modifications to its items, introduction, and reference materials based on expert feedback.
• The final tool features 14 response options, refined from the pilot tool's 15, and two domains were renamed for clarity.

Conclusions:

• The SAFE-T tool is the first validated inpatient shift-based screening tool designed to promote safe sleep practices.
• Implementation of the SAFE-T tool in hospitals has the potential to enhance safe sleep practices during hospitalization and post-discharge.
• Further research is recommended to assess the tool's impact on caregiver behaviors after hospital discharge.