Effectiveness of Essential Newborn Care Training on Knowledge Regarding Life-Saving Newborn Interventions Among Nursing Students at ETCM College of Nursing, Kolar, Karnataka

Abstract

Background: The first days of life are a critical period in which timely newborn care can influence survival and later health. Nursing students therefore need a sound understanding of essential newborn care and immediate life-saving interventions. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a structured Essential Newborn Care training programme on nursing students’ knowledge.

Methods: A quantitative pre-experimental one-group pre-test–post-test design was used among 70 nursing students at ETCM College of Nursing, Kolar, Karnataka. Participants were selected by non-probability convenience sampling. Knowledge was assessed with a 30-item structured multiple-choice questionnaire covering Essential Newborn Care, Facility-Based Newborn Care, and neonatal resuscitation. The training used lectures, discussions, demonstrations, and audiovisual aids. Pre- and post-test scores were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a paired t-test; chi-square tests were used to examine associations with selected demographic variables.

Results: Before training, 44 (62.9%) students had inadequate knowledge, 22 (31.4%) had moderately adequate knowledge, and 4 (5.7%) had adequate knowledge. After training, 50 (71.4%) had adequate knowledge, 18 (25.7%) had moderately adequate knowledge, and 2 (2.9%) had inadequate knowledge. The mean score increased from 9.80 ± 3.40 to 24.85 ± 2.96, with a mean gain of 15.05 points. The paired t-test was highly significant (t = 28.64, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Essential Newborn Care training produced a marked improvement in nursing students’ knowledge. The findings support structured and repeated newborn-care education within nursing programmes.