A Study to Assess the Work Performance of Nurses Regarding Care of Newborn in Nicu in Selected Hospitals, Bangalore with a View to Develop Information Module

Birth is a major challenge for the newborn to negotiate successfully from intrauterine to extra uterine life. The concept of neonatal care came in to existence the developed world in the mid- 60’s and 70’s. With the availability of excellent maternal and child health services resulting in survival of practically all normal newborns, their attention was then focused on improving survival rates in the high risk groups of newborns like very low birth weight babies with severe birth asphyxia, those with organ system failure leading to shock, coma, cardiac failure, babies with severe metabolic derangements or babies with major congenital malformations requiring surgery.2 The basic neonatal care Level I is not available at a majority of centers where neonates are delivered or admitted. Even larger hospitals with a high delivery rate do not have access to level II neonatal care and the basic equipment required. Thus a substantial decline in the mortality rate in our country can be achieved by improving components of neonatal care that do not require high levels of sophistication and technology. These include facilities for clean delivery and for resuscitation at birth, adequate temperature regulation, feeding of exclusive breast milk, prevention of infections and early detection and prompt treatment of minor problems.3 This study aimed to assess the work performance of nurses regarding care of newborn who are admitted in NICU and to prepare an instructional pamphlet for nurses regarding care of newborn in NICU. The findings of the study show that the Majority of the 68.33% nurses' performances were poor, 13.33% nurses' performances were fair, and 18. 33% nurses' performances were good. The mean, Standard deviation and mean percentage of work performance of staff nurses on care of newborn in NICU was assessed the overall mean knowledge score was 16.22 with SD 2.38 and mean percentage 54.06. The chi square test was used to assess the association between the work performance and demographic variables.