Nurses Performance Regarding Preterm Infants Suffering from Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Pediatric Teaching Hospitals in Mosul City

Abstract

Background: Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) continues to account for significant morbidity and mortality in the preterm infant. RDS, sometimes called hyaline membrane disease, is a syndrome due to a deficiency in production of a substance that promotes lung growth leading to structurally immature lungs in the newborn and impaired lung functions. Therefore, caring for children with respiratory distress syndrome demanding alert, skillful, and sensitive nurse.

Objective: The study aimed to assess the scientific knowledge and practice of nurses regarding their care provided to premature infants with respiratory distress syndrome in pediatric teaching hospitals at Mosul city.

Methods: The present study utilized a descriptive, cross-sectional design and was carried out on a sample of 120 nurses. that were selected from working in premature units and NICUs in the pediatric teaching hospitals in Mosul city from period 16^th March 2025 to 25^th May 2025. Data was collected using a structured interview questionnaire designed by researcher. The data was analyzed performed by Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS, version 25).

Results:  The study findings shows that the majority of the study sample were female 80% and 20% of them were male, the study showed that majority of the study sample 68.3% at age range between 20-29 years, while 26.7% of them their age ranged between 30-39 years. The study showed 46.7% of the study sample had acceptable knowledge related to care for premature infants suffering from respiratory distress syndrome. 25% of the study sample had a poor knowledge related to care of premature infants suffering from respiratory distress syndrome.

Conclusions: The finding of the study reported that mean total knowledge score of study participants regarding the caring of the newborn with respiratory distress syndrome was 72.8%, while the level of practice in providing care of the newborn with respiratory distress syndrome was 80.4%. In additional, the research revealed significant differences in age, gender, educational level, and participants' knowledge and practice levels in caring of newborns with respiratory distress syndrome. The study recommended that the nurses working in premature units and neonatal intensive care units should attend the training programs periodically to update their knowledge and skills in care of the neonates with respiratory distress syndrome.