Impact of nurse-led interventions on high-risk neonatal and maternal outcomes in Indian NICUs: A rapid review

This rapid review synthesizes evidence from Indian studies on nurse-led interventions in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and their impact on neonatal and maternal outcomes. A comprehensive search identified key outcomes, including breastfeeding success, neonatal growth, morbidity, mortality, and maternal knowledge and stress levels. Nurse-led interventions significantly improved breastfeeding rates, feeding progression, and readiness for discharge. Growth outcomes such as weight gain showed favorable trends in intervention groups, despite some mixed results. NICU stay duration varied, with some studies reporting shorter hospitalization following nurse-led care. Notably, reductions in neonatal morbidity, sepsis, and mortality were observed, although statistical significance varied. Maternal outcomes improved substantially, with enhanced knowledge, caregiving skills, and reduced psychological stress. The findings highlight the crucial role of NICU nurses in delivering structured, evidence-based interventions that enhance both neonatal recovery and maternal engagement. Scaling such interventions in NICU settings could contribute to improved neonatal survival and quality of care in resource-limited contexts.