The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has endorsed a joint statement on the implementation of the Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) method for preterm and low birthweight infants (LBW).
The statement, jointly signed by ICN, the Council of International Neonatal Nurses (COINN), the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), and the International Paediatric Association (IPA), commits healthcare professionals to act upon the implementation of KMC. Recommended by WHO and reviewed positively by experts, KMC encourages maximised skin-to-skin contact between the mother and infant, through continuous or intermittent carrying against the chest.
This low-cost, low-tech and evidence-based method has proven to reduce neonates’ mortality to up to 33% in low-income countries.
Evidence from high-income countries show that proximity with the mother facilitates breastfeeding, reduces risks of nosocomial infections, sepsis (by -47%), as well as length of hospital stay. The results can be measured in terms of oxygen saturation, temperature, weight, and head circumference, showing an overall significant improvement in survival rates.
This method also humanises traditional incubator-based preterm care by increasing direct contact time between mother and child, reinforcing their bond and participating in their general wellbeing.
Nurses have a key role with mothers and parents in supporting applications and research into practice. ICN joins fellow health care professionals’ associations in promoting and implementing the KMC method as an important component of prenatal technical training as well as a crucial step in the development of skilled nursing as a leading and innovative source of health care solutions.
ABUJA: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED
PORTHARCOURT: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED
LAGOS: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED
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