Browsing by Author "Africa, Anne Beatrice"

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    Preterm infant caregivers’ perspectives on basic infant life support training before discharge : a descriptive case study at a secondary hospital in the Western Cape, South Africa
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2019-04) Africa, Anne Beatrice; Kaura, Doreen Kainyu; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dept. of Nursing & Midwifery.
    ENGLISH SUMMARY : Background: Basic infant life support (BILS) includes providing emergency ventilation/breathing and manual cardiac massage/compressions to maintain circulation when a preterm infant has a cardiorespiratory arrest. Preterm infants receive expensive hospitalisation sometimes for two to three months. Smaller preterm infants are discharged in a clinically stable condition. However, these infants still have immature systems which put them at risk of apnoea, infections, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). They are discharged to socioeconomic circumstances that pose risks of inhalation of smoke and unhygienic circumstances, which could result in death within the first week after discharge. Providing preterm infants’ parents with BILS knowledge and skills could empower them to save their infants’ lives after discharge. International policies, and the Western Cape Department of Health, Kangaroo mother care (KMC) policies are advocating BILS training to preterm infant’s parents before discharge. The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of preterm infant’s caregivers about the pre-discharge BILS skills training at a secondary public hospital in Cape Town Metropole, in Western Cape, South Africa. Methods: The study was conducted as a qualitative descriptive single case study with two embedded units of analysis. Multimethod data collection included Individual semi-structured in-depth interviews with four parents and four health care professionals and two focus group discussions with midwives. The participants were sampled purposively at a secondary level hospital. The participants in the first unit of analysis were four parents who received the BILS training before discharge. The second unit of analysis included healthcare professionals HCPs who were involved in the BILS training and discharge readiness. Qualitative data analysis was done through coding categorising and theme formation. The principle themes were deduced from the objectives. Research Findings: Three themes emerged from the first unit of analysis, which included: importance of BILS training, discharge information and development factors identified. Parents reflected on the BILS training they received before discharge and revealed what they learnt about themselves, made them feel empowered, to be able to provide BILS to their preterm infants successfully after discharge. The three themes that emerged from the second embedded unit of analysis included: Rationale for BILS training before discharge and BILS training provided and enhancement factors. The HCPs elaborated on the justification that preterm infants’ caregivers need BILS training to be empowered to save their infants’ lives after discharge. Conclusion: The parents of preterm infants’ perspectives are that preterm infants are still at risk of life-threatening events which could result in death soon after discharge. The training empowered preterm infant parents. They initially felt anxious, but then felt confident, competent and reassured to provide BILS to their infants successfully after discharge. They felt empowered to enrich family members and communities with BILS information. Barriers and supporting factors were identified from both units of analysis to systematically improve the BILS training programme at the hospital.