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Skin-to-skin care in neonatal intensive care units in the Nordic countries: a survey of attitudes and practices.

Olsson, Emma ; Andersen, Randi D ; Axelin, Anna ; Jonsdottir, Rakel B ; Måstrup, Ragnhild LU and Eriksson, Mats (2012) In Acta paediatrica 101(11). p.1140-1146
Abstract
Aim: To investigate the application of skin-to-skin care (SSC) in the Nordic countries, the existence of guidelines for SSC and the attitudes of neonatal staff towards SSC. Methods: One questionnaire was distributed at unit level and one at staff level in all Nordic neonatal intensive care units (n = 109). Results: The unit questionnaire was answered by 95 (87%) units and the staff questionnaire by 1446 staff members (72%). All units offered SSC to various degrees, but guidelines only existed at 47% of them. Units in Denmark, Norway and Sweden seemed to use SSC earlier, longer and in more medically complicated situations than units in Finland and Iceland. Seventy-seven per cent of the units had private rooms where parents and infants could... (More)
Aim: To investigate the application of skin-to-skin care (SSC) in the Nordic countries, the existence of guidelines for SSC and the attitudes of neonatal staff towards SSC. Methods: One questionnaire was distributed at unit level and one at staff level in all Nordic neonatal intensive care units (n = 109). Results: The unit questionnaire was answered by 95 (87%) units and the staff questionnaire by 1446 staff members (72%). All units offered SSC to various degrees, but guidelines only existed at 47% of them. Units in Denmark, Norway and Sweden seemed to use SSC earlier, longer and in more medically complicated situations than units in Finland and Iceland. Seventy-seven per cent of the units had private rooms where parents and infants could stay together, still the physical environment of the units limited the use of SSC. Medical risks were considered the main barrier for further implementation of SSC, while general development and early interaction were the most frequently mentioned benefits. Conclusion: Skin-to-skin care is implemented in all Nordic neonatal units, but offered to various degrees, to various populations and to varying extents. Danish, Norwegian and Swedish units are offering SSC more extensively than units in Finland and Iceland. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Acta paediatrica
volume
101
issue
11
pages
1140 - 1146
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • wos:000309408200022
  • pmid:22849363
  • scopus:84867101431
  • pmid:22849363
ISSN
0803-5253
DOI
10.1111/j.1651-2227.2012.02802.x
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Division of Nursing (Closed 2012) (013065000)
id
a015b4bd-b997-4212-a49d-761eec144ffe (old id 3047909)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22849363?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:12:05
date last changed
2022-03-06 18:01:08
@article{a015b4bd-b997-4212-a49d-761eec144ffe,
  abstract     = {{Aim: To investigate the application of skin-to-skin care (SSC) in the Nordic countries, the existence of guidelines for SSC and the attitudes of neonatal staff towards SSC. Methods: One questionnaire was distributed at unit level and one at staff level in all Nordic neonatal intensive care units (n = 109). Results: The unit questionnaire was answered by 95 (87%) units and the staff questionnaire by 1446 staff members (72%). All units offered SSC to various degrees, but guidelines only existed at 47% of them. Units in Denmark, Norway and Sweden seemed to use SSC earlier, longer and in more medically complicated situations than units in Finland and Iceland. Seventy-seven per cent of the units had private rooms where parents and infants could stay together, still the physical environment of the units limited the use of SSC. Medical risks were considered the main barrier for further implementation of SSC, while general development and early interaction were the most frequently mentioned benefits. Conclusion: Skin-to-skin care is implemented in all Nordic neonatal units, but offered to various degrees, to various populations and to varying extents. Danish, Norwegian and Swedish units are offering SSC more extensively than units in Finland and Iceland.}},
  author       = {{Olsson, Emma and Andersen, Randi D and Axelin, Anna and Jonsdottir, Rakel B and Måstrup, Ragnhild and Eriksson, Mats}},
  issn         = {{0803-5253}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{11}},
  pages        = {{1140--1146}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Acta paediatrica}},
  title        = {{Skin-to-skin care in neonatal intensive care units in the Nordic countries: a survey of attitudes and practices.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1651-2227.2012.02802.x}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/j.1651-2227.2012.02802.x}},
  volume       = {{101}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}