title: Newborn clinical outcomes of the AWHONN late preterm infant research-based practice project.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the neonatal health risks (hypothermia, hypoglycemia, hyperbilirubinemia, respiratory distress, the need for a septic workup, and feeding difficulties) experienced by late preterm infants (LPIs) from a large multisite study and determine how these risks were affected by gestational age at birth.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive analysis of prospective data obtained as part of the AWHONN Late Preterm Infant Research-Based Practice Project.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen hospitals located through the United States and Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  Late preterm infants (802) born at gestational ages between 34 0/7 and 36 6/7 weeks.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nurses at each site obtained consent from the mother of the infant. The data about the infant were gathered from the infant's medical record.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-six percent of LPIs were initially cared for in a special care nursery; approximately one half of these infants were eventually transferred to a well-baby nursery. Of the 64% of LPIs initially cared for in a routine nursery, 10% were transferred to a special care unit or neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). More than one half of LPIs experienced hypothermia, hypoglycemia, feeding difficulties, hyperbilirubinemia, and respiratory distress and/or needed a septic workup. The risk for these problems was higher in infants of younger gestational ages. Thirty-two percent of the infants were bathed during the first 2 hours of life, and by 4 hours, more than two thirds had had their first bath. Fifty-two percent received kangaroo care during the first 48 hours of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings support those of smaller studies indicating that LPIs are at high risk for developing health problems during their neonatal hospitalization. Nurses may be able to ameliorate some of these health problems through early identification of problems and simple, inexpensive interventions such as avoiding early bathing and promoting kangaroo care.
authors.affiliation: University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. medoff@nursing.upenn.edu
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Medoff Cooper
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Holditch-Davis
authors.forename: M Terese
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Verklan
authors.forename: Debbie
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fraser-Askin
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lamp
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Santa-Donato
authors.forename: Brea
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Onokpise
authors.forename: Karen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Soeken
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bingham
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D001903:Bottle Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002170:Canada; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D017052:Hospital Mortality / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007224:Infant Care / Q000379:methods*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D017283:Neonatal Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D015399:Nursing Research; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States