Integrating Safe Sleep Practices into a Pediatric Hospital: Outcomes of a Quality Improvement Project

J Pediatr Nurs. 2016 Mar-Apr;31(2):e141-7. doi: 10.1016/j.pedn.2015.10.015. Epub 2015 Nov 28.

Abstract

A quality improvement project for implementing safe sleep practices (SSP) was conducted at a large, U.S children's hospital. The intervention involved education of staff and standardization of infant sleep practices utilizing a multifaceted approach. Staff surveys and environmental audits were conducted pre- and post-intervention. Safe Sleep Environment (SSE) audits showed an improvement from 23% to 34% (p<0.001) post-intervention. Staff confidence to provide education to caregivers on SSP showed a significant increase. Results from this project demonstrate a successful approach to implement SSP in the hospital setting. Infant safe sleep practices have the potential to reduce infant mortality.

Keywords: Beliefs; Crib; Infant mortality; Infants; Knowledge; Quality improvement; SIDS; Safe sleep.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Advisory Committees
  • Female
  • Guidelines as Topic
  • Hospitals, Pediatric
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant Care / organization & administration
  • Infant Mortality / trends
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Patient Safety
  • Program Evaluation
  • Quality Improvement / organization & administration*
  • Safety Management / organization & administration*
  • Sleep / physiology*
  • Sudden Infant Death / prevention & control*
  • Supine Position
  • Tertiary Care Centers
  • United States