Effectiveness of Competency Based Program on Nurses’ Performance Regarding Care of Neonates Undergoing Cooling Therapy

Abstract

Introduction: Cooling therapy is a treatment for moderate to severe hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy to minimize neurological damage from deprivation of oxygen. Nursing competency and performance significantly impact the quality of nursing care and improve neonates’ outcome. Aim: to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing competency-based program on nurses' knowledge, attitudes and performance regarding care of neonates undergoing cooling therapy. Methods: A quasi-experimental study pre and post was conducted with 50 nurses in Neonatal Intensive Care Units at Ain-Shams University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt, using a predesigned questionnaire format, an observational checklists and attitude rating scale. Results:  there was significantly improved knowledge, attitudes and practice for the majority of nurses' post implementation of the program. There was improvement in post implementation of the program compared to baseline for total knowledge score, cooling therapy, care of mechanical ventilation, developmental care and prevention of ventilator associated pneumonia, p = 0.00, respectively. There was improvement in the post program implementation, compared to baseline for the total attitudes score, p = 0.00, preparing for cooling, p = 0.00; nursing care during active cooling p = 0.00; rewarming practices p = 0.00; total practice score, p = 0.00. The competency-based program is effective for improvement of overall nurses’ performance. Continuous training, feedback, and monitoring should be recommended to maintain the improvement gained knowledge, attitudes and performance.