Thesis ( Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Nursing - Department of Pediatric Nursing

The health and survival of preterm infants depend on high levels of attention and care from others. The mother is the most important person who looks after and meets the physiological and psychological needs of her infant in the early years of life. Preterm infant discharge educational program ensures best practice and helps guide the mothers to appropriate level of care following birth. The current study aimed to evaluate the impact of discharge educational program on mothers' knowledge and practice and their preterm infants' health status. A multiple time series quasi-experimental research design was utilized. Between March 2018{u2013}February 2019, a convenient sample of sixty mothers and their preterm infants were recruited from the neonatal intensive care unit of El-Monira Pediatric Hospital-Cairo University. These mothers were assigned equally to either the study or control group. Mothers in the study group received four educational sessions along with hospital routine care; mothers in the control group only received hospital routine care. Mother's knowledge and practice were assessed during preterm infant hospitalization and post-discharge three times using a structured interview sheet and observational checklist and preterm infants' health status was assessed by using follow-up sheet three times after discharge

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