Abstract
Oxygen is the most common drug used in the medical management of preterm infants. Nurses in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) are primarily responsible for responding to oxygen saturation (SpO2) alarms and titrating the FiO2 (fraction of inspired oxygen). Alarm response times and non-adherence to provider-ordered alarm parameters is influenced by nurses understanding of the effects of hyperoxia and hypoxia on the preterm infants' outcomes. Poor outcomes result when SpO2 alarms are not responded to in the NICU.|The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project was to determine the effects of nursing education on the effects of hyperoxia and intermittent hypoxia on preterm infants' outcomes and determine its influence on their interventions related to SpO2 alarms and adherence to the designated alarm parameters. Education included an on-line, narrated PowerPoint, staff education poster, reference sheets, and real-time education. A total of 110 of 120 RNs completed the online education. Pre/Post education indicated that staff education did not have a statistically significant impact on increasing alarm parameter compliance or in decreasing the percentage of time the infants experienced intermittent hyperoxia or hypoxia. However, it appears staff education had clinical significance with reducing the percentage of time infants experienced hyperoxia and hypoxia. Infants were within their defined SpO2 ranges 78% of the time post-education, compared to 76.1%, pre-education. Ultimately, the use of an on-line, narrated PowerPoint shows promise as an effective educational strategy for reaching staff nurses in an acute care setting.