As a baby is born, the umbilical cord is cut and clamped, then it dries up and detaches. During the course of cord detachment and before the wound completely heals up, umbilical cord care is essential for preventing any local infection, which may lead to septicemia or infection of other organs. However, the yellowish and blood-stained discharge from the base of the cord and the appearance of the cord stump often causes anxiety among parents and make them hesitant to provide cord care. Hence, healthcare professionals are responsible for explaining the importance of proper cord care and provide consistent information on the course of cord detachment. This will decrease parental anxiety or the cord-related issues and improve compliance. Currently, different solutions are being used at different healthcare facilities. This leads to confusion among healthcare professionals and parents. Moreover, as evidenced in many studies, different solutions can affect the umbilical cord detachment time and prolongation of umbilical cord separation time, which can cause immense anxiety among the parents. Hence, a solution that is effective in reducing the umbilical cord separation time can help to alleviate parental anxiety. Dry care, such as using cold boiled water to clean the cord, is suggested to be suitable for umbilical cord care as it shortens the umbilical cord separation time compares to alcohol, which is still being used in many healthcare facilities. Therefore, this proposed innovation attempts to promote dry care as the standard umbilical cord care practice, to shorten the umbilical cord separation time, which in turn, decreases parental anxiety and the workload related to cord care for the healthcare professionals. The implementation of dry care was explored and it was found that this innovation is cost-effective and has a high transferability and feasibility in the current setting of Hong Kong Maternal and Child Health Clinics. An evidence-based practice guideline was developed and would be launched initially on a trial basis at one of the Maternal and Child Health Clinics after a well-developed communication and implementation plan is established. It is expected to take about 12 months from gaining approval, implementation of the innovation, data collection and to the last stage, program evaluation. / published_or_final_version / Nursing Studies / Master / Master of Nursing

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Typescript. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1988. / Bibliography: leaves 454-469. / Microfilm. / xxxi, 469 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm

M.Cur. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Cur. / Neonates born with respiratory distress require supplementary oxygen. In some cases it is necessary to ventilate these neonates in order to obtain adequate tissue oxygenation. Due to the potential complications of mechanical ventilation it is necessary to extubate the neonate as soon as possible after intubation and administer supplementary oxygen by an alternate method. Any form of oxygen therapy carries the risk of oxygen toxicity. It is therefore essential that the method of oxygen therapy opted for after extubation will result in the infant being weaned in the shortest time possible. In the two NICUs from which the sample was taken for this study, neonates are currently extubated and placed either in a head box, on nasal CP AP or on a nasal cannula, these being the methods used to administer oxygen to a neonate. The decision regarding the method of choice is currently directed by customary practices rather than physiological variables as indicators/criteria of effectiveness. The questions that arise from the research problem are as follows: • Which physiological variables should be considered when faced with the decision regarding the method of oxygen therapy to initiate after extubation of a neonate? • Are there any differences in the effectiveness of the two methods of oxygen therapy, namely headbox and nasal cannula, after extubation of a neonate? The purpose of this study was to compare two methods of oxygen therapy, after extubation of the neonate with respiratory distress syndrome, in an attempt to formulate guidelines; based on physiological variables as criteria/indicators of effectiveness. After analyzing the data, as described in Chapter 4, it became evident that it would not be possible to formulate guidelines. Therefore only a comparison was done between the two methods of oxygen therapy (headbox and nasal cannula,) based on both biographical and physiological variables as criteria/indicators, to determine whether there were any significant differences in the effectiveness of the two methods after extubation of the neonate.

D.Cur. / Quality control in perinatal education is imperative, with the purpose to deliver a high quality and appropriate healthcare service to the family in the peri natal period. The purpose of this study was to develop valid standards for perinatal education in South Africa. To reach this goal, the study proceeded as follows: Development phase -concepts were developed for perinatal education, -the concepts were logically systematised and formulated in concept standards, -the standards were presented for peer group review with the purpose of refinement and further development. Quantification phase: - the statistical validity of the standards was determined/calculated. After completion of the study the researcher reached the conclusion that quality perinatal education must adhere to the following standards: A philosophy for perinatal education must exist; The perinatal facilitator must be a well trained professional person, and must possess certain personal traits; The perinatal education style/method must adapt according to the client's socio-economic status, age, marital status and needs; The perinatal facilitator must make use of acknowledged teaching methods and techniques in order to facilitate learning; The perinatal education must comply with certain minimum requirements in order to make it accessible and acceptable to the client; The perinatal facilitator must complete a preparatory phase before she is allowed to give education; A perinatal education programme must have a curriculum that can be adapted to the client's circumstances; Perinatal education must be presented purposefully; The end result of perinatal education must focus on a healthy baby and a healthy, empowered mother, family and community.

Thesis (MPH.) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / Pregnancy and childbearing are most of the crucial milestones in women’s lives as they look forward to becoming mothers. During this time, they have positive expectations while pregnant, however, the physical, hormonal, neurotransmitters and psychosocial changes that occur can make pregnancy to be stressful and overwhelming. The disability associated with depression and its impact on maternal and child health has important implications for public health policy. While the prevalence of postnatal depression is high, there are no prevalence data and associated risk factors on antenatal depression in Helen Franz Hospital of Limpopo Province, South Africa. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with depression amongst pregnant women at Helene Franz Hospital. Methodology: A quantitative retrospective design was used in the study and a sample size of 336 was required which was calculated based on the 95% confidence interval, 5% sampling error and 38.5% prevalence of depression amongst pregnant women in KZN. A self-administered questionnaire with close-ended questions which was adopted from the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale was given to the participants to complete. The scoring of the questionnaire was that the maximum score was 30 and the persons who scored 10 or greater were considered depressed according to the Edinburg scale for assessing depression. Data were analysed using SPSS V.21.0 and a p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The participants ranged from 18 to 47 years with the mean age of 27.8±6.9 years. The majority of the pregnant women were in the age groups 20-24 years and 25-29 years. The mean depression score for pregnant women was 7.87±5.2 and ranged from 0 to 23. The prevalence rate of depression symptoms was 31%. Maternal age was not significantly associated with depression and a significantly higher proportion of married pregnant women were depressed as compared to unmarried women at p=0.017. Pregnant women who smoke were significantly more likely to be depressed than those who do not smoke at p=0.002. Pregnant women without financial support from partnerwere significantly likely to be depressed than those who receive financial support at p-=0.002. A significantly greater proportion of pregnant women with partner violent were likely to be depressed than those with non-violent partner at p <0.001. Pregnant women in relationships with unemployed spouses were significantly likely to experience depression than the employed spouse at p=0.035. lastly, pregnant women in relationship with a spouse with lower educational level were significantly likely to be depressed than the other groups at p-.006. Conclusion: The prevalence of depression among pregnant women was high and the main risk factors involved in the onset of antenatal depression have highlighted a complex multifactorial aetiology. These are related to different sources of chronic diseases, psychosocial, environmental, obstetric and pregnancy- related risk factors have been highlighted. Correctly identifying women at risk of suffering from depression would provide an opportunity to target those women who would benefit from preventive and supportive interventions. Therefore, a psychosocial assessment, in the sense of a comprehensive and multidimensional evaluation of a woman's psychosocial circumstances should be common practice for all women during the antenatal period. Key concepts Antenatal care; Pregnancy; Childbearing; Depression; Psychosocial

This study explored infants' immediate and residual responses to holding and rocking, and how these responses relate to previously proposed mechanisms to explain long term benefits found when infants are repeatedly exposed to tactile and vestibular stimulation. This form of stimulation has been proposed to increase infants' ability to control and organize l) their behavioral state, 2) their arousal and autonomic functioning, or 3) that there is no clear relationship between immediate responses and long term benefits. Behavioral state and heart rate were collected on 40 infants who were randomly assigned to either a control group where infants were briefly repositioned twice but otherwise lay undisturbed for 90 minutes or an experimental group where infants were held and rocked for 30 minutes during the middle of a 90-minute observation. Results of analyses showed that, when infants were held and rocked they 1) displayed a lower Heart Rate Mean and Standard Deviation, 2) displayed a lower Mean Heart Rate During Active Sleep, 3) spent less time in a FussCry State, 3) were less likely to cry continuously, and 4) displayed nominally Smoother State Transitions and greater Stability Within States. Following the cessation of the rocking stimulus infants in the Experimental Group l) displayed a lower Mean Heart Rate, 2) displayed a lower Mean Heart Rate while in a Quiet Alert State, 3) were more likely to spend some time in a Quiet Sleep State, and 4) were less likely to cry continuously. In addition, all infants displayed Smoother State Transitions and greater Stability Within States during the first 30 minutes than during the final 30 minutes of the observation. Finally, across the 90-minute observation, the infants who were not rocked spent progressively more time in a Quiet Alert State, whereas infants who were rocked spent less time in a Quiet Alert State. The results were the most consistent with the hypothesis that the mechanism leading to both the immediate and residual effects of the stimulation was an increase in control and organization of infants’ arousal and autonomic functioning. / Ph. D.

The aim of this research was to support new mothers in groups, so that they can function optimally as educators. During the research mothers with babies up to three months of age were used by means of a support group. This research project was done after it became evident from a literature study that new mothers suffered with unique problems during this adaption phase. In the empirical survey the researcher gave attention to the new mothers' specific needs and problems during this trimester. The researcher aimed to explore the experiences of the new mother as educator through weekly group sessions. From the results it was clear that there was a need of support from other mothers that is going through the same experiences. In this way new mothers could receive emotional support and obtain knowledge regarding relevant issues experienced during this unique life phase. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

The aim of this research was to support new mothers in groups, so that they can function optimally as educators. During the research mothers with babies up to three months of age were used by means of a support group. This research project was done after it became evident from a literature study that new mothers suffered with unique problems during this adaption phase. In the empirical survey the researcher gave attention to the new mothers' specific needs and problems during this trimester. The researcher aimed to explore the experiences of the new mother as educator through weekly group sessions. From the results it was clear that there was a need of support from other mothers that is going through the same experiences. In this way new mothers could receive emotional support and obtain knowledge regarding relevant issues experienced during this unique life phase. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)