Safety and feasibility of skin-to-skin care for surgical infants: A quality improvement project
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Read the article on jpedsurg.org ↗Article · Mar 2019 · 1 min read
In brief
In brief
Quality improvement initiative successfully increased skin-to-skin care rates from 51% to 60.5% among surgical infants in the NICU through multidisciplinary interventions. The project demonstrates that SSC is safe and feasible for this vulnerable population, supporting physiologic stability and parent-infant bonding even in complex surgical cases.
Written by the GCMD Library team from the article.
Background
Skin-to-skin care (SSC) for infants improves physiologic stability, pain perception, brain development, parental bonding, and overall survival. Using quality improvement (QI) methodology, this project aimed to increase SSC for surgical infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
Methods
A multidisciplinary working group composed of key NICU stakeholders instituted a needs assessment querying perceptions and concerns about SSC. Based on survey results, multiple system level interventions were implemented. Data for surgical infants receiving SSC during hospitalization were tracked over time using the electronic health record.
Results
Overall, 315 infants requiring a surgical consult were admitted to the NICU in the first 12 months of the project. After six months, SSC rates in this group increased from 51% to 60.5% (p