Child safety seat misuse: home visiting assessment and intervention

This project piloted the use of nurse-initiated home visits for child safety seat (CSS) assessment and intervention. Nurses made home visits to 149 rural and suburban Wisconsin women with children under 2 years of age, and assessed CSS misuse through observation and physical manipulation. Over three-quarters of CSSs were misused, although mothers were aware of only one-quarter of the instances of incorrect use. Nurses taught proper CSS use through verbal instruction, demonstration with parent's own vehicle and CSS, and supervised parental manipulation of CSS. While mothers were receptive to home visiting for CSS assessment and education, this project involved substantial nurse training. Because thorough CSS assessment and intervention during home visits is resource-intensive, other options for improving correct CSS use and parental awareness are discussed.