Effect of an Educational Intervention on Nurses’ Competency in the Neonatal Unit of a Teaching Hospital in Nigeria: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Background: Clinical competency of nurses has been identified to be vital in making the difference between survival and death of neonates. Continuing education (CE) is essential to enhance the competency of nurses. This study aims to evaluate the effect of an educational intervention on nurses’ competency as regards their knowledge, attitude, and practices of neonatal care in a teaching hospital in Ogun State. Methods: A quasi experimental one (1) group pre- and postintervention design was used. Purposive sampling of all registered nurses working in the neonatal unit of Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu Ogun State was utilized. Two tools were used for data collection: a semi-structured questionnaire and nurses’ clinical performance observational checklist. Data were collected before and 2 weeks after educational intervention. Data collected was managed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 20 software. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze and present variables. Inferential statistics of student t test was employed for hypotheses testing at P ≤ .05. Result: Nurses’ knowledge and practice improved at postintervention. Knowledge mean score at pretest was 35.21 (±6.33) which increased to 43.74 (±3.30) in the posttest (t = −7.33, P = .000). Practice mean score at pretest was 32.7 (±6.04) which increased to 44.8 (±7.22) postintervention (t = 7.26, P = .000). However, no significant difference was observed between the attitude of nurses regarding care of neonates pretest 71.0 (±7.15) and posttest 71.1 (±13.5) (t = 0.04, P = .968). Overall, there is a significant difference in the nurses’ competency score at pretest 192.21 (±20.23) and posttest 203.79 (±4.78) (t = −2.21, P = .040). Majority (94.7%) of the nurses agreed that CE would facilitate their competent in the care of neonates in neonatal units while 31.6% established that financial constraint was a barrier to attending CE to improve themselves. Conclusion: Implementation of educational program for nurses working in the neonatal unit improved their competency toward neonatal care. It is recommended that CE and training programs should be organized for nurses on a regular basis to sustain their competency.