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A Need For Nursing Interventions

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A Need for Nursing Interventions in Promoting Safe Sleep Practices in Infants
Safe sleep practice for infants is an important topic of interest for new parents because infants can spend as much as 16-18 hours of their day sleeping (Canadian Pediatric Society, 2012). It is important for parents to understand how to practice safe sleep precautions with their infant to minimize the risks of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, more commonly referred to as SIDS. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics SIDS is defined as “the sudden death of an infant under 1 year of age, which remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation, including performance of a complete autopsy, examination of the death scene and review of the clinical…show more content…
Some of the recommendations include placing the infant to sleep in the supine position, avoiding bed sharing, avoiding the use of heavy blankets, keeping room at a comfortable temperature and avoiding overheating the infant (American Academy of Pediatrics 2005). In 2011 SIDS ranked as the fifth leading cause of death in Canadian infants which is a one point drop from fourth in 2007 (Statistics Canada 2014). Although the rates have dropped in recent years, SIDS has not been eradicated completely which highlights the need for continued anticipatory guidance by medical staff, namely nurses. The nurse can play a vital role in educating parents about the importance of safe sleep practices during the hospital stay, and discharge planning should include extensive information on how to help minimize the risk of SIDS.
Modeling Safe Sleep Behaviors While Infant in Hospital
Nurses can play a vital role in the provision of information about safe sleep practices to parents. Several nursing interventions can be used in order to ensure parents are aware of SIDS, have proper information about why SIDS can occur, and be aware of the precautionary measures which can be taken to decrease the risks. As Aris et al mention “parental practices regarding infant sleep position are strongly influenced by their observation of the sleep position of their infant in the hospital”
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