Investigation of the Effect of Infant Sleep Safety Education on Nursing Intern Students

Abstract

Objective: Sleep safety is an important strategy to reduce sleep-related infant mortality in infants aged 0-12 months. Nurses, who have a role in the education of families, should raise their awareness and practise providing sleep safety recommendations during student years. This study aimed to determine the effect of sleep safety education given to nursing interns on their knowledge level. Materials and Methods: This randomised controlled trial included students attending at the nursing department of a university and enrolled in the intern practice course. Students were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group received training on sleep safety in infants, whereas the control group was not trained. Data were collected using the introductory characteristics form and sleep safety information form on infants. Results: Most of the students in both groups did not receive training on sleep safety. Although the majority of the students cared for infants during clinical and field practice courses, very few students imparted sleep safety training to parents. No statistically significant difference was found between the knowledge scores of both groups before training (p<0.05). After sleep safety training, a statistically significant difference was found between the knowledge scores of the students in the two groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: It was found that students did not have adequate knowledge about sleep safety in infants. Sleep safety training increased the knowledge level of students in the experimental group.