The Effects of Kangaroo Care Pertaining to the Attitudes and Values of Fathers Caring for Their Premature Newborns

Presenter

Tina Til

Campus

Salem State University

Sponsor

Anthony D'Amico, Honors Program, Salem State University

Schedule

Session 3, 1:30 PM - 2:15 PM [Schedule by Time][Poster Grid for Time/Location]

Location

Poster Board C22, Poster Showcase Room (163), Row 3 (C21-C30) [Poster Location Map]

Abstract

Skin-to-skin contact also known as “Kangaroo Care” (KC) is a practice used in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to care for premature newborns. Introduced in the 1970s, KC was implemented to decrease the high rates of infant mortality due to shortage of incubators and high risk of infection. Premature newborns, born before the 37 week timeframe, are a vulnerable population as these babies have not yet fully developed leading to breathing, feeding, and heart complications. Placing the newborn on the parent’s bare chest addresses these problems to help with thermoregulation, stabilizing glucose levels, and helps with sleep as a few benefits. Kangaroo care is centered among mothers to help promote breastfeeding while fathers will have the opportunity to do the practice later on. In some countries around the world, Kangaroo Care is limited to fathers due to hospital protocols and cultural views that make the practice harder to achieve. There is a gap in research for maternal kangaroo care and paternal kangaroo care that needs to be discussed in order to populate this practice. An Integrative Review based on the Russell Model will be used to explore kangaroo care from the paternal aspect and bridge the gap in nursing care.

Keywords

kangaroo care, skin-to-skin contact, father, premature baby

Research Area

Nursing

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