Eficacia de un programa educativo sobre el conocimiento de las enfermeras hacia la terapia de masajes en bebés con...

Aim: This study aims at evaluating the effect of a structured instructional program on improving nurses' knowledge regarding the use of massage therapy as a non-drug approach in managing colic-related discomfort in infants.

Materials and Methods: A quasi-experimental study was performed. Work was done at Al-Hussein Teaching Hospital, which works under the Directorate of Health in Diwaniyah. All nurses who participated in the study n=72 were divided into two groups: an experimental group consisting of 36 nurses who received the educational intervention and a control group consisting of the remaining 36 nurses who did not receive any intervention. The researcher created an inclusive training program that emphasized on increasing the knowledge of nurses about the nature, causes, and symptoms of infant colic, normal crying versus colic episodes, diagnosis of colic, pain physiology, mechanism of massage therapy, practical advice for dealing with colicky infants, and both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment options.

Results: The findings improved the knowledge of nurses in the intervention group about infant massage therapy in a statistically significant way following the program. This group attained a higher average score than the control group 1.78 vs. 1.34 with standard deviations of 0.09 and 0.14, respectively; p=0.000, effect difference was meaningful.

Conclusions: This study identified the real improving effect of educational intervention by demonstrating a significant enhancement in the knowledge and practices of nurses after they underwent the training program. Nurses with high education responded more positively to the program.