Preterm infant car seat safety and evidence informed nursing leadership in the NICU
Date
2012-07-30
Authors
Moher, Catherine
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Abstract
Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death amongst infants and children in North America. Preterm infants (<37 weeks gestational age) are often discharged from hospital weighing less than five pounds and are at risk of apnea, bradycardia and oxygen desaturation when seated in infant car seats, thus this population faces issues with safety, fit and positioning in car seats. Existing protocols in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) lack research support and specific guidelines for implementation resulting in inconsistencies in car seat safety practices in the NICU. This project is an integrated review of the literature concerning preterm infants and evidenced informed car seat safety in the NICU and is guided by the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARiHS) framework for knowledge translation. Recommendations for practice are outlined and support for nursing leaders is offered to move this knowledge into practice. Suggestions for future research are presented to provide insight into the ongoing safety issues for this fragile population.
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preterm infant, car seat, safety, nursing leadership, NICU