Assessment of Nurse's Knowledge and Practice Working in District Hospitals at Minia Governorate about Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia

Background: Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia occurs in about 60% of newborns. If not managed properly, it can progress to severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia (SNNJ) leading to death or permanent disability. Aim: To assess nurse's knowledge and practice about neonate with hyperbilirubinemia. Subjects: 41 nurses working in nine districts hospital in Minia governorate each district one hospital and from Minia district 3 hospital. Settings: The study was conducted on nurses working in11 governmental district hospital in Minia governorate Results: 58.5% of nurses below 26 years old with mean age25.8 ± 4.3 years and 63.4% live in rural area. As regard years of experience in neonatal intensive care unit 39% of nurses, 48.8% of nurses has experience <5 years in other departments, 70.7% of nurses received previous training in neonatal care . 92.7% of nurses have Satisfactory knowledge about hyperbilirubinemia . As regard relation between personal & socio-demographic data and nurses’ knowledge regarding hyperbilirubinemia it is shown that Years of experience in NICU and Years of experience in other department have high significant as ** P – value ≤ 0.01and Age / years ** P – value ≤ 005 and for Training is significant * P – value ≤ 05. Conclusion: Based on the finding of the present study one can conclude that the highest percentage of nurses had satisfactory knowledge, while minority of nurses’ had unsatisfactory score regarding hyperbilirubinemia in neonates. Also the majority of nurses’ were competent regarding practices related to hyperbilirubinemia. Recommendation: Establishment of in-service educational program to provide continuous education for nurses working in the neonatal intensive care unit aiming to refresh their knowledge, practice for care hyperbilirubinemia in neonates with and for the new assigned nurses to improve their knowledge and practice. Keywards: hyperbilirubinemia, neonatal, nurse's knowledge & practice