Oxygen administration for the prevention of retinopathy in prematurity: knowledge and care of the nursing staff

Abstract

Introduction: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is an alteration of the blood vessels of the immature retina, which appears in premature newborns during the first weeks of life, and causes ocular alterations that partially or totally impede visual development.

Objective: to analyze the relationship between the level of knowledge about oxygen administration and nursing care for the prevention of retinopathy of the premature neonate.

Methods: an observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out between the months of July-October 2021 in the Neonatology service of a health institution of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. The sample consisted of 32 nurses. 

Results: A prevalence of the female sex was evidenced with 78.1%. The average age was 44.09 ± 13.12, with the mode at 50. 46.9% of the respondents had a Bachelor's degree in Nursing. 43.75% of those surveyed obtained at least 60% of the correct answers. 68.75% of the sample met all the indicators in the checklist of nursing records.

Conclusions: In light of these results, we can affirm that the institution does not have a trained staff that allows the development of a nursing role for the prevention of retinopathy, however, the quality of the nursing records was not deficient, which that did not have a significant correlation between the level of knowledge and the quality of the records.

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