Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, including details on sids, causes, prevention, statistics.

Educating parents about the risk factors of sudden infant death syndrome: the role of neonatal intensive care unit and well baby nursery nurses.

Esposito L, Hegyi T, Ostfeld BM

SIDS Center of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.

Nurses in newborn nurseries and neonatal intensive care units are instrumental in educating parents about reducing the risk for SIDS. Nurse participation is acknowledged and encouraged in the current policy statement on SIDS Risk Reduction put forth by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Despite the decline in SIDS, it remains the leading cause of postneonatal infant mortality, and despite greater public compliance with the risk reduction guidelines there is room for improvement in how effectively and consistently they are disseminated. To facilitate nursing participation as educators, role models, and collaborators in the development of relevant hospital policies and procedures, we review the current recommendations, addressing issues that may serve as barriers to participation, describing the biological plausibility underlying risk-reducing practices, and presenting resources from which nurses may obtain teaching materials and model policies.

Published 16 May 2007 in J Perinat Neonatal Nurs, 21(2): 158-64.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2005-2008 Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Research Today. All Rights Reserved.