Impact of one time in service staff training on newborn care practices at a Teaching Hospital

Abstract

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Objectives: To evaluate outcome and sustained improvement in labour room (LR) and breast feeding (BF) practices (over six months) after one Essential Newborn Care Workshop for staff Methods: 60% of nurses and midwives involved in newborn care, were assessed on certain LR and BF practices, before, one and six months after the above workshop. Certain essential newborn care practices were assessed during the routine labour room shift. BF practices were assessed by observing BF mothers for correct positioning and attachment Assessments were done by trained Senior House officers. Results: LR practices which improved significantly were hand washing before delivery, delivering the baby onto the abdomen, changing gloves before cord care, skin to skin contact at birth, initiating breast feeding within one hour and cleaning around the bed after delivery. Counting the baby’s respiration improved only after six months. Using APGAR scores, changing suction tubes after delivery were not done even after the workshop. In BF mothers, positioning was correct even before the workshop while attachment improved only at one month and deteriorated thereafter.