Enhancing Sensory Experiences for Infants Born Preterm: A Quality Improvement Project.

Objective: To enhance neonatal sensory experiences in infants born preterm: a quality improvement project.

Design: This was a time-interruption quality improvement project. The time-interruption lasted 4 weeks with an 8-week data collection period before and after. Baseline data were collected on current program use for 8 weeks prior to the time interruption. The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) occupational therapist provided staff education, training, and modeling of the Supporting and Enhancing NICU Sensory Experiences (SENSE) program during the time interruption. Data were collected for 8 weeks after the time interruption to track improvements.

Participants: Twenty infants and their families participated, as well as NICU nurses who provided positive sensory experiences and completed surveys.

Main outcome measures: Data related to delivery of, education on, and adherence to SENSE were collected before, during, and after the time interruption. Staff surveys were completed pre- and posteducation, training, and modeling to gather perspectives on program usage.

Results: On average, parents delivered 43.88 minutes of positive sensory input per day before and increased to 92.7 minutes per day after the time interruption. Positive tactile recommendations were met, on average, 19% of the time before and 47% of the time after the time interruption. After education, training and modeling, nursing staff unanimously supported the program according to surveys.

Conclusions: Although a higher percentage of infants received the recommended dosage of positive tactile input after intervention, opportunities still exist to improve and expand implementation.