Effect of an Evidence-Based Program on Infants’ PURPLE Crying and Shaken Baby Syndrome among Nurses

Abstract

Background: Shaken baby syndrome (SBS) is the most common cause of death or serious neurological injury resulting in life-long disability among infants and young children less than 5 years of age. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of an evidence-based prevention program for nurses on the period of PURPLE crying in infants and shaken baby syndrome. Study design: A quasi-experimental (pre-post-test) research design was used to achieve the aim of this study. Sample: A convenient sample was selected of 100 pediatric nurses from (PICU &NICU) and outpatient pediatric clinic in Assiut University Children's Hospital.. Tools: Three tools were used to collect the needed data. Tool one: It was composed of three parts: Part one: Personal data of studied nurses. Part two: Shaken infant syndrome knowledge assessment questionnaire. Part three: It was included a nurse's knowledge assessment questionnaire on the PURPLE Crying Period. Tool Two: Nurses' thoughts and attitudes about shaken baby syndrome hazards. Tool Three: Scale of Infant Crying Knowledge. Results: 65 % of nurses had a satisfactory level of knowledge about the period of PURPLE crying in infants which increases to 96% post-test. in the pre-test, 73% of nurses had appropriate beliefs and attitudes regarding shaken baby syndrome hazard while in the post-test most of the nurses (89%) had appropriate believes and attitudes with a highly statistically significant difference between the nurses believes and attitudes in pre and posttest (P=0.004). Conclusion: Implementation of an Evidence-Based prevention program had a positive effect on understanding the period of PURPLE crying in infants which reduced the hazards of Shaken Baby Syndrome in infants. Recommendations: Nurses should teach parents and give them a booklet about the period of PURPLE crying and practices to prevent hazards of shaken baby syndrome on the infants discharge from PICU or NICU.