Level Of Knowledge Among Nursing Staff In A View To Prepare A Protocol On Management Of Neonatal Jaundice At A Selected Hospital, Vadodara.

Background:About15% to 30% of breast-feeding newborns having elevated bilirubin levels requiring medical intervention. There are various factors, which lead to hyperbilirubinemia specifically in infants. They are, increased production of bilirubin, decreased hepatic uptake of bilirubin from plasma, defective bilirubin conjugation, defective bilirubin excretion and increased inter hepatic circulation. At present neonates with hyperbilirubinemia can be best treated with phototherapy in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The nurse must be having adequate knowledge and skill to manage the neonates with hyperbilirubinemia.Objective:The objective of the study is to find the knowledge regarding care of the neonate with Jaundice with aview to prepare the protocol on care of baby with neonatal Jaundice.Materials and methods:Descriptive research design werewas used among nursesregarding care of the neonate with Jaundice working at a selected Hospital in Vadodara district. Non probability convenient sampling technique was used to select 60 staff nurses those who are working mainly at neonatal as well as pediatric wards in the Hospital.Results: The result reveals that out of 60 participants nearly 27 (45%) of subject werehaving to adequate knowledge and8 (13.3%) had average knowledge regarding care of the neonate with Jaundice.Remaining nurses 9(15%) belong to poor knowledge category and 16(26.7%) belongs to very poor knowledge category.There is no association between the level of knowledge regarding care of the neonate with Jaundice and selected socio demographic variables.