Effects of an Empowerment Program on Readmission and Maternal Readiness for Discharge in Mothers of Neonatal with Jaundice
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Abstract
This quasi-experimental study aimed to examine the effect of an empowerment program on readmission rates and discharge readiness in mothers of newborns with jaundice. The sample comprised 32 mothers of newborns (gestational age ≥ 37 weeks) diagnosed with hyperbilirubinemia and undergoing phototherapy at Kamphaeng Phet Hospital. Participants were selected via purposive sampling, matched by age and educational level, and then divided into a control group and an experimental group (n=16 each). The research instruments included: 1) Gibson's empowerment program, 2) mothers' handbook for neonatal jaundice care, 3) Infographics about neonatal jaundice, 4) a personal data record form for mothers and newborns, 5) The Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale: Parent Form, and 6) a readmission record form. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Chi-square test, and the Mann-Whitney U test.
The study findings revealed that mothers in the experimental group had significantly higher mean discharge readiness scores than those in the control group (p<.001). Additionally, the re-hospitalization rate for jaundice within 14 days after hospital discharge in the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group (p<.05).
These results suggest that the empowerment program effectively increased maternal discharge readiness and reduced the re-hospitalization rate of jaundiced newborns. Nursing staff can apply this program to enhance mothers' readiness and ability to care for their infants at home.
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