Researcher Taqwa Kamel Mashaqi, a student in the master’s program in neonatal nursing, has defended her thesis titled “The Effects of Implementing Neonatal Jaundice Prevention Program on Incidence, Mothers' Knowledge and Practices towards Neonatal Jaundice at Saint Joseph Hospital in East Jerusalem.”
The present study aimed to assess the impact of a prevention program for neonatal jaundice - also known as hyperbilirubinemia - on maternal knowledge and practices towards it at St. Joseph Hospital in East Jerusalem.
The researcher applied the quantitative and quasi-experimental method, and designed the pre- and post-test. The study included all mothers whose babies developed physiological jaundice during a time period ranging from 24 to 72 hours after birth in the neonatal department and nursery at Saint Joseph Hospital during January and February. The sample of the study included 48 mothers.
The study revealed a statistically significant relationship between pre- and post-test results, supporting previous research that found that women's knowledge of neonatal jaundice improved significantly after implementing the educational program.
The findings of the study highlight the importance of an up-to-date neonatal jaundice prevention program for all mothers. This would help keep them informed and maintain their knowledge and practical skills about neonatal jaundice based on the latest evidence. The study recommended the necessity of implementing a health educational program for mothers regarding neonatal jaundice.
The thesis was supervised by Dr. Farida Qutait. The committee of examiners included Dr. Imad Thultheen and Dr. Ahmad Ayed.