Prevention of Admission Hypothermia in Low-Birth-Weight Infants Through PDSA Cycle of Quality Improvement Initiative
Sariya Prachukthum¹, Wilaiporn Techasatid¹, Sariya Sahussarungsri¹, Raynoo Chompikul¹, Siwarus Seephan¹, Naree Khampho¹, Sudatip Kositamongkol¹
Affiliation : ¹ Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand
Background: Admission hypothermia (AH) is one of the key indicators in quality care of preterm infants. Unfortunately, AH rate in the authors’ institution was high. Therefore, the authors had set up quality improvement initiatives (QI) to improve rate of AH in the authors’ institution.
Objective: To assess the effectiveness of the authors’ QI to reduce AH in infants less than 2,000 g.
Materials and Methods: The present study was a retrospective evaluation of the authors’ QI program. The enrolled infants were inborn with birthweight less than 2,000 g, admitted in the NICU directly after birth. The QI consisted of increasing resuscitation area temperature (RT), use of heat protective measures, and transported with prewarmed transport incubator. Effectiveness, rate of admission hypothermia, and admission temperature (AT) were selected as QI outcomes. The outcomes were compared between pre-QI period and post-QI period.
Results: There were 117 and 133 infants in pre-QI and post-QI period, respectively. RT were 24.7±1.48℃ and 24.8±1.04℃, AT increased from 36.4±0.85 ℃ to 36.7±0.60℃ and incidence of hypothermia were decreased from 50.4% to 30.8%, in pre and post QI period (p<0.05).
Conclusion: The authors’ QI effectively reduced AH in infants under 2,000 g.
Received 25 April 2022 | Revised 4 January 2023 | Accepted 4 January 2023
DOI: 10.35755/jmedassocthai.2023.02.13776
Keywords : Preterm; Hypothermia; Quality improvement
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