Evaluation of a developmental care training programme for neonatal nurses

Abstract

Although the impact of developmental care on premature infants has been investigated at length, often the issue of professional development and training related to this type of care has not been examined. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of a developmental care training programme on nurses’ behaviours and cognitive attributes with regard to the prevention of overstimulation of premature infants. The Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) was the framework underlying the study. This programme evaluation used a quasi-experimental one group pre-test/post-test design. Participants were nurses working in a neonatal intensive care unit. Data were collected by self-administered questionnaires. Significantly higher post-test scores were observed for knowledge and for a variety of theoretical constructs. The results of this study showed the potential of such training programmes to help nurses implement developmental care.