Media Release
Udupi, Nov 22: The department of Obstetrics & Gynecological (OBG) Nursing and the department of Child Health Nursing, Manipal College of Nursing (MCON), Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal observed ‘Newborn Week’ from November 15 to 21 based on the theme 'Striving towards excellence in neonatal care'.
The aim of celebrating ‘Newborn Week’ is to create awareness among healthcare professionals and to sensitize the common public towards newborn care for their overall development. Based on the theme, several activities like awareness programmes on breastfeeding and care of the newborn baby were executed for the expectant mothers and their caregivers. Poster competition on the theme 'Striving towards excellence in neonatal care' was conducted on November 19 for the students and faculty of MAHE.
To sensitize as well as to enhance awareness regarding the theme, a workshop on 'Striving towards excellence in neonatal care' was conducted on November 21 for the healthcare professionals namely staff nurses working in different hospitals of Udupi taluk. Dr Leslie E Lewis, Professor of Pediatrics, Kasturba Medical College, MAHE and in-charge of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Kasturba Hospital, Manipal was the chief guest and deliberated a session on 'Quality Improvement and Medico-legal issues related to newborn care'. He stressed on the root cause of the quality issues (4Ps) namely people, places, procedures/practices and policies. He highlighted the success of many Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) with the implementation of quality improvement methods by applying evidence-based practices in the clinical area. He also explained the different steps in quality improvement methods and ways in which health professionals can care for preterm infants effectively by implementing these steps in providing quality care to the neonates. He also stressed on the importance of nurses in providing quality care to the newborn in the NICU.
The session on ‘Promoting Brain Health in preterm neonates’ was dealt with by Yashoda Sathish, assistant professor of the department of Child Health Nursing, MCON, MAHE Manipal. She emphasized the importance of involving mother and family members in taking care of the newborns, kangaroo-mother care, how to handle the baby and prevention of complications.