A sample of 84 experienced registered nurses participated in a survey at a 70-bed tertiary care unit. The purpose of the survey was to identify differences of factors such as educational preparation and clinical experience of the sample, and name factors nurses use in determining implementation of kangaroo holding. Of the 67 nurses returning surveys (79.8%), 24 nurses volunteered for a follow-up interview. These nurses were interviewed and data was analyzed using triangulation.

The sample of nurses ranged in age from 24 to 62 years old. The majority of the nurses (68%) held Bachelor of Science degrees in nursing while the mean years of clinical practice in the SCN were 10.8 years. When comparing the demographic data to the interviews, nurses with five or more years of SCN clinical practice (64%) were more likely to implement kangaroo holding as an intervention for any gestational age neonate. While the primary factor for implementing kangaroo holding was the assessed physiologic stability of the infant, strategies identified as integral components to promote the use of kangaroo holding as a routine in the intensive care nursery environment included adequate staffing patterns, maternal readiness, and control of negative environmental elements such as noise and lighting. In addition, the majority of nurses (78%) identified management support such as protocols of care and educational programs as integral components for consistent implementation.

Results of this study benefit nurses by naming strategies to promote the implementation of kangaroo holding as a routine practice in the intensive care nursery environment.

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Sigma Theta Tau International
July 21, 2004