Awareness and Practice of Mothers regarding Post-Operative Care of their Children with Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate: An Intervention Program

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Lecturer of Pediatric Nursing , Faculty of Nursing, Zagazig University

2 Lecturer of Pediatric Nursing , Faculty of Nursing, Damietta University

Abstract

Background: Post-operative care is necessary for good surgical outcomes. It requires vigilance and careful regular observation of the child. Counseling and educating mothers regarding the clefts and the various procedures are one of the most vital aspects of treatment. Aim: To evaluate the effect of the intervention program on awareness and practice of mothers regarding post-operative care of their children with cleft lip and cleft palate. Design: A quasi- experimental design (Pre & Post) was used. Setting: The study was conducted at Pediatric Surgery Department & Outpatient Pediatric Surgery Clinic at Zagazig University Hospital. Subject: A convenience sample of 50 mothers and their children with cleft lip and palate at the previous mentioned settings. Tools: Two tools were used to collect data. Tool 1: Structured Interview Questionnaire. Tool II: Checklists to evaluate mothers′ practice. Results: Indicated that less than one fifth of studied mothers had satisfactory total awareness score pre-intervention compared to most of them post-intervention. Moreover, less than one quarter of them had satisfactory total practices regarding post-operative care of their children with cleft lip and cleft palate before intervention program compared to most of them post the intervention (P< 0.01). Conclusion: The present study indicated that the intervention program had great effect on improving mothers′ awareness and practice regarding post-operative care of their children with cleft lip and palate. Recommendation: The study recommended that providing pediatric nurses with educational booklets, pictures and videos regarding all aspects of care of children with cleft lip and palate in all health care settings to improve outcomes.

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