The effect of continuous clustered care on the physical growth of preterm infants and the satisfaction with the nursing care.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of continuous clustered care on the physical growth of preterm infants and on the satisfaction with the nursing care. Methods: 120 preterm infants who were admitted to our hospital from Jan 2018 to Dec 2018 were recruited as the study cohort. These infants were randomly divided into a control group (n=60, routine care) and an experimental group (n=60, continuous clustered nursing care). The study compared the parenting skills in the two groups, the infant development at 6 and 12 months, the prevalence of diseases within one year after discharge, and the parents’ satisfaction with the nursing care. Results: There was no significant difference in the parenting skill levels between the two groups. The body masses, heights, and head circumferences of the infants at 6-months and 12-months in the experimental group were better than they were in the control group. The experimental group’s physical and intellectual development were significantly better than the physical and intellectual development in the control group (P<0.05). In the experimental group, the number of cases with infantile respiratory, umbilical, and intestinal infections was lower than it was in the control group. The parental satisfaction level with the nursing care in the experimental group was significantly higher than it was in the control group (96.67% vs 78.33%) (P<0.05). Conclusion: Continuous clustered nursing care can improve the physical growth of preterm infants, reduce the adverse events and improve the nursing satisfaction level.