The Effect of Kangaroo Care Educational Program for Mother on Weight Gain of Premature Infants in Neonatal Intensive Care Units

Background: Kangaroo care is one of the nursing practices with medical provision that can meet the important physical and emotional needs of the preterm such as warmth, stimulation, parental attachment, breast-feeding and safety. Research design: A quasi-experimental design was utilized in the current study. Setting: This study was conducted at neonatal intensive care unit in Beni Suef University Hospital. Subjects: A purposive sample of 50 mothers accompanying their premature infants. Tools of data collection: Three tools were used: tool (1) interviewing questionnaire: (pre, post and follow-up), tool (2) checklist of reported practices: (pre, post and follow-up), tool (3) knowledge of the mother about kangaroo care technique: (pre, post and follow-up). Results: 88% of the studied mothers had unsatisfactory level of knowledge in the pre educational program implementation. While, 96% of them had satisfactory level of knowledge in the post educational program implementation. 64% of the studied mothers had incompetent practices in the pre educational program implementation, while 58% of the studied mother had competent practices in the post educational program implementation. Conclusion: The educational program had a significant positive effect on improving mothers' knowledge, practices regarding kangaroo care. Recommendation: Continuous educational programs to increase awareness of the mothers about Kangaroo Mother Care to ensure enough knowledge and practice about KMC.