Knowledge and Performance of Developmentally Supportive Positioning for Premature Infants among Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Nurses

Abstract

Purpose: This study was conducted to assess the knowledge and performance of developmentally supportive positioning for premature infants (DSPP) among neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurses. Methods: The participants in this study were 131 nurses working in the NICU at five university hospitals in Daejeon and the city of Cheong-ju. The collected data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, the t-test, analysis of variance, and Pearson correlation coefficients using SPSS for Windows version 22.0. Results: NICU nurses' average DSPP knowledge score was 24.7 out of 33.0, and their average DSPP performance score was 3.2 out of 4.0. A statistically significant positive correlation was observed between knowledge and performance of DSPP (r=.32, p<.001). Conclusion: To improve the level of NICU nurses' knowledge and performance of DSPP, educational programs should be developed and their effectiveness should be verified.