Abstract
Evidence suggests that some nurses disagree with current Reduce the Risk (RTR) recommendations for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and these attitudes impact upon practice and parent information. A pretest/post-test intervention survey design was used to investigate agreement with current RTR messages and determine the effectiveness of a specific intervention in increasing agreement and compliance with RTR messages in a group of nurses and midwives employed in a metropolitan maternity unit (n=36). A post-test survey, identical to the pre-test, was distributed to participants 6 weeks post intervention and completed by 29 (81%) subjects. Pre-test, most nurses (n=35, 97%) agreed that smoking is a SIDS risk factor that parents should be aware of, and that infants should be placed feet to foot of cot (n=33, 92%). Parents were advised to use the recommended supine sleep position for healthy infants by 28 (78%) nurses. Only 78 (50%) respondents agreed with the recommended supine sleep position for babies with mild gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR), and 16 (44%) nurses routinely advised parents to place infants in this position. Post-test, attitude responses significantly improved in consistency with RTR messages and epidemiological evidence for nine of 21 variables elicited. Significantly, more nurses indicated that they advised parents to use supine positioning for infant sleep (p=0.03), and for infants with mild GOR (p=0.005). Nurses' attitudes demonstrated inconsistencies with current RTR messages and these attitudes influenced advice provided to parents. Education significantly impacted several attitudes directly related to the RTR messages, and some nurses changed their practice consistent with current messages.