Shaken baby syndrome education: a role for nurse practitioners working with families of small children

Abstract

Nurse practitioners providing primary care to infants and children are in the optimal position to address the risk factors and long-term consequences of shaken baby syndrome (SBS), a severe form of child abuse, with parents before the child is discharged from the nursery or when they come for well-child visits. The purpose of this article is to provide a summary of research to date on SBS, state and federal efforts aimed at educating citizens about SBS, and the role of nurse practitioners in educating the persons who are caring for these vulnerable individuals regarding the prevention of SBS.