Evaluation of Nurses’ practices about Umbilical Cord Care for Neonates in Neonatal Intensive Care Units

Background: The umbilical cord, made of Wharton's jelly, is a gelatinous material that extends from the fetus's umbilicus to the placenta. It consists of two umbilical arteries and one vein, and the urachus, a remnant of the allantois. Infections can lead to complications, including sepsis, abdominal button inflammation, abscess, necrotizing fasciitis, and liver abscesses. Objective(s): This study aims to evaluate nurses’ practices about umbilical cord care for Neonates. Methodology: A quantitative approach using a descriptive-analysis design was used in the present study in order to evaluate nurses’ practices about umbilical cord care for Neonates. . The period of the study was from January 13th ,2024 to May 13th, 2024 . A questionnaire was completed by 64 nurses staff from Welfare Teaching Hospital and Central Teaching Hospital of Pediatric. The sample consisted of 50 nurses. Results: The practices levels was assessed using a three-point scale. A study of nurses found that while 70% were female, the majority had a diploma in nursing and a bachelor's degree. Most had between 1 and 6 years of hospital experience and a significant number of specific NICU experience. Most nurses actively sought to update their knowledge about neonatal umbilical cord care. However, the majority of practices were rated as 'Poor', indicating a gap in compliance with established protocols and standards for umbilical cord hygiene and maintenance. The study found no significant correlation between demographic characteristics or experience in hospitals and NICUs, and suggested that knowledge alone may not translate into effective practice without continuous training and strict adherence to protocols. Conclusion: while our study agrees with some existing literature it also challenges studies indicating an interplay of factors affecting neonatal care practices beyond just the demographic characteristics of nursing staff. Future research should delve into systemic influences on practice adherence along with evaluating targeted interventions effectiveness in enhancing cord care quality, in neonatal units. Recommendation :From the results of this study and also from the previous literatures and researches its became essential to establish a mandatory training sessions for all the staff in the NICU focusing on the best practices for the care of umbilical cord, and this sessions has to include a standardized protocols to ensure that the knowledge is efficiently translated into practice.