Effects of Instruction on Parent Competency During Infant Handling in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Purpose: The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of 3 different methods for delivering instruction on infant handling to parents in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Methods: Ninety-six parents in the NICU received instruction. Parents were taught the same 3 infant-handling techniques after random assignment to the (1) direct, (2) video, or (3) written-pictorial instructional groups. After baseline competency assessment, parents received instruction according to their group. A masked evaluator assessed parent performance, and parents rated instructional effectiveness.

Results: All groups significantly improved handling performance. The direct and video groups performed 2 handling activities significantly better than the written-pictorial group. No significant differences were found between the direct and video groups. All groups perceived the instruction as effective.

Conclusions: Direct and video instructions are equally effective in teaching parents to perform simple whole motor tasks in the NICU, and parents welcome the instruction.