Report of Newborn Week Celebration

The activities planned and conducted were as follows:

Activity 1: Awareness program on “breast feeding and care of newborn baby” for the expectant mothers and their caregivers
An interactive awareness session on breast feeding and care of newborn baby was conducted for the expectant mothers/caregivers of antenatal ward of KH Hospital, Manipal on 15th November 2019. These awareness programs were conducted by Mrs. Pratibha Kamath, Assistant Professor, and Mrs. Shobha, Lecturer, Department of OBG Nursing. A total of 29 expectant mothers/their caregivers actively participated in these sessions. Concerns of the mothers were clarified during the sessions. Sessions were well appreciated by the expectant mothers/their caregivers.

Activity 2: Poster competition on the theme “Striving towards excellence in neonatal care".
A poster competition based on the theme “Striving towards excellence in neonatal care" was conducted on 19th November 2019 from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm. Many posters depicted the theme very well and were displayed in the ground floor of MCON for viewing to our students, faculties and visitors to MCON.
A total of fourteen staffs and six students participated in the competition. The posters were evaluated for the clarity, organization, appropriateness and relevance to the theme “Striving towards excellence in neonatal care" by Mrs. Charmine, Auditor Nursing Excellence team of Kasturba Hospital, Manipal and by Dr. Shashidhara Y N, Professor & HoD, Community Health Nursing Department, MCON, Manipal based on the criteria. The best two of the twelve posters were awarded.

Activity 3: Workshop on ‘Thermal Protection for Preterms’ for the health care professionals, teaching staff and students
To sensitize as well as to enhance awareness regarding the theme, a workshop on “Striving towards excellence in neonatal care” was conducted for the health care professionals i.e., staff nurses working in different hospitals of Udupi Taluk on 21st November 2019.
Dr. Leslie E S Lewis, Professor Pediatrics, Kasturba Medical College, MAHE and In charge of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Kasturba Hospital, Manipal who was the chief guest of the Newborn week celebration stressed the importance of the theme.
Further, he deliberated a session on Quality Improvement and Medico-legal issues related to newborn care”. He stressed on the root cause of the quality issues (4P’s) namely “people, places, procedures/practices and policies. He highlighted on the success of many Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) with the implementation of quality improvement methods by applying evidence based practices in the clinical area. He also explained the different steps in quality improvement methods and how health professionals caring for preterm infants effectively use these steps in providing quality care to the neonates. Also he stressed on the importance of establishing skin to skin contact at least for one hour in low risk mothers admitted to labour room to prevent the heat loss in newborn.

The second session of the workshop was on ‘Promoting Brain Health in preterm neonates’ and it was dealt by Mrs. Yashoda Sathish, Assistant Professor of Dept. of Child Health Nursing, MCON, MAHE Manipal. She emphasized on importance of involving mother and family members in taking care of the newborns, kangaroo-mother care, how to handle the baby and prevention of complications.
A total of 20 staff nurses from Maternity and Child Health unit of KH, Manipal, Lombard Memorial Hospital Udupi, Mithra School of Nursing Udupi and BR Shetty Government hospital, Udupi participated in the workshop.

Activity series 4: Television programme on Prime TV
A television recording on “quality newborn care in the family and community” was done on ‘Prime channel’ on 21st November 2019 with a view to sensitize the general public about the significance of newborn care for their overall development. Dr. Leslie Edward S Lewis and Dr. Sonia RB D’Souza deliberated on the topic quality care of the newborn that can be provided by the family members. The recording will be broadcasted at the earliest.
The one-week event was coordinated by Mrs. Shobha and Mrs. Sweety Fernandes of Department of Obstetrics and Gynecological Nursing and Mrs. Anusuya Prabhu, Mrs. Yashoda Sathish of Department of Child Health Nursing, Manipal College of Nursing, Manipal Academy of Higher Education.