Infant mortality and morbidity is a significant issue in the healthcare system of the US. The development of the practices led to improvements in patient outcomes. However, “extremely preterm infants continue to contribute disproportionately to the burden of neonatal morbidity, mortality, and long-term neurodevelopmental disability” (Stroll et al., p. 1039). Thus, an understanding of the underlying causes of the matter is required to develop effective interventions. The purpose of the paper is to examine the article by Stoll et al. (2015), and identify how the research can be applied to improve the rates of mortality and morbidity in infant care.
The objective of the study was to gather and examine information regarding the mortality and morbidity of newborns in Neonatal Research Network centers. The focus was on the changes that were implemented in the care system between the years 1993 and 2002. Inspecting the interventions that took place and their outcomes can be beneficial for future studies on the topic, as it provides an insight into the causes of mortality of infants at 22 weeks to 28 weeks of gestation.
The paper is research as it exhibits a process of collection and analysis of specified data. For this study, the authors chose hospitals across the United States and collected information about the newborns that were born or admitted to the institutions (Stoll et al., 2015). The aim was to track the infants from their birth to them being discharged from the institution (and their health state during the next 120 days). Then, the statistical analysis was utilized to identify the nature of the care the infants received and their health outcomes.
The target audience for the paper is professionals that work in the healthcare industry and aim to create an effective intervention that would help reduce the rates of infant mortality and morbidity. The study collected a large number of data that relates to changes in practices of neonatal care, and additional information (such as age, ethnicity, and health state of mothers). The information can be used as a guide in family counseling or for the development of interventions in infant care.
For the most part, the information presented in the article was easy to understand. However, the statistical analysis included a large number of data, which required additional attention. Because the numbers were incorporated into the text of the paper, it was difficult to comprehend. However, the graphs and tables presented in the table after that have enabled a better interpretation of the data.
There is a variety of interesting findings in this paper. Firstly, the practices of aggressive lung ventilation can cause damage to the infants, thus embracing new approaches can have beneficial outcomes. Secondly, the improved care practices have enabled the decrease in morbidity for newborns, most notably, “a significant increase in survival to discharge for infants born at 23, 24, 25 weeks” (Stroll et al., 2015, p. 1045). Finally, despite the improvements, the number of infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia has increased. This can be a suggestion for further studies on the topic.
The implications for nursing education, research, and practice are varied. Because nurses spend a lot of their work time with the patients, they can generate research that would focus on improving the current practices of care. Thus, by utilizing the study by Stroll et al. (2015), a nurse can create an intervention plan for infant care to enhance health outcomes and research it in a hospital setting. In nursing education, the study can be employed to illustrate the importance of improving the current practice of care.
I would recommend this article to other students as it provides a good understanding of the issue. The data that was collected by Stroll et al. (2015) is extensive; thus, it can be used for further investigations into the problem. In addition, there is a lot of information regarding improved care (such as lung ventilation practices) that a future nurse can utilize in his or her work. Therefore, the paper is useful and relevant to any future medical professional.
The article produces an excellent data analysis of the topic. However, it can be improved by extending the conclusion and including more implications for future studies, as the current version provides only a brief overview. The paper has urged me to investigate the topic of health outcomes of infants and possible improvements in the current practices, as it has illustrated specific changes that were made by hospitals and how those have affected the mortality and morbidity rates.
Overall, Stroll et al. (2015) have conducted valuable research that can help future studies in creating interventions and new practices for neonatal care. The authors collected an extensive amount of data from many hospitals in the US. The research can be used in nurse education and nurse practice as it presents a valid analysis of the issues of infant mortality and morbidity, and can be utilized for further studies.
Reference
Stoll, B. J., Hansen, N.I., Bell, E.F., Walsh, M. C., Carlo, W. A., Shankaran, S., … Higgins, R. D. (2015). Trends in care practices, morbidity, and mortality of extremely preterm neonates, 1993-2012. JAMA, 314(10), 1039 – 1051. Web.