Effect of an Evidence-Based Program on Infants’ PURPLE Crying and Shaken Baby Syndrome among Nurses

Hosny Elshater, Maha; Abd Elhamid Zaki, Nora; Mohamed Thabet, Amina; Hassan Abdalfatah, Amira

doi:10.21608/ejhc.2022.276921

Effect of an Evidence-Based Program on Infants’ PURPLE Crying and Shaken Baby Syndrome among Nurses

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Lecturer of Pediatric Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University, Egypt

² Assistant professor in Pediatric Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Assiut University, Egypt

³ Assistant professor of Pediatric Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Sohag University, Egypt

⁴ Lecturer of Pediatric Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Assiut University, Egypt

10.21608/ejhc.2022.276921

Abstract

Background: Shaken baby syndrome (SBS) is the most common cause of death or serious
neurological injury resulting in life-long disability among infants and young children less than 5
years of age. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of an evidence-based prevention program for
nurses on the period of PURPLE crying in infants and shaken baby syndrome. Study design:
A quasi-experimental (pre-post-test) research design was used to achieve the aim of this study.
Sample: A convenient sample was selected of 100 pediatric nurses from (PICU &NICU) and
outpatient pediatric clinic in Assiut University Children's Hospital.. Tools: Three tools were used to
collect the needed data. Tool one: It was composed of three parts: Part one: Personal data of studied
nurses. Part two: Shaken infant syndrome knowledge assessment questionnaire. Part three: It was
included a nurse's knowledge assessment questionnaire on the PURPLE Crying Period. Tool Two:
Nurses' thoughts and attitudes about shaken baby syndrome hazards. Tool Three: Scale of Infant
Crying Knowledge. Results: 65 % of nurses had a satisfactory level of knowledge about the period
of PURPLE crying in infants which increases to 96% post-test. in the pre-test, 73% of nurses had
appropriate beliefs and attitudes regarding shaken baby syndrome hazard while in the post-test most
of the nurses (89%) had appropriate believes and attitudes with a highly statistically significant
difference between the nurses believes and attitudes in pre and posttest (P=0.004). Conclusion:
Implementation of an Evidence-Based prevention program had a positive effect on understanding
the period of PURPLE crying in infants which reduced the hazards of Shaken Baby Syndrome in
infants. Recommendations: Nurses should teach parents and give them a booklet about the period
of PURPLE crying and practices to prevent hazards of shaken baby syndrome on the infants
discharge from PICU or NICU.

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