Ansell, P., Roman, E., Fear, N.T. et al. (1 more author) (2001) Vitamin K policies and midwifery practice: questionnaire survey. BMJ, 322 (7295). pp. 1148-1152. ISSN 0959-535X
Abstract
Objectives: To investigate policies on neonatal vitamin K and their implementation.
Design: Two phase postal survey.
Setting: United Kingdom.
Participants: A 10% random sample of midwives registered with the United Kingdom Central Council for nursing, midwifery, and health visiting. Of 3191 midwives in the sample, 2515 (79%) responded to phase one and 2294 (72%) completed questionnaires on their current jobs (November 1998 to May 1999). In phase two, 853 (62%) of 1383 eligible midwives gave details on 2179 of their earliest jobs (start dates before 1990).
Results: All the midwives in clinical practice at the time of the survey (2271, 99%) reported that they were working in areas with official policies on neonatal vitamin K. Seven distinct policies were described: intramuscular vitamin K for all babies (1159, 51.0%); intramuscular vitamin K for babies at "high risk," oral for others (470, 20.7%); oral vitamin K for all babies (323, 14.2%); parental choice for all (124, 5.5%); parental choice for all except babies at high risk, (119, 5.2%); intramuscular vitamin K for babies at high risk only (33, 1.5%); oral vitamin K for babies at high risk only (17, 0.7%); and a disparate group of policies including intravenous vitamin K for some babies (26, 1.1%). Previous policies were (and some may still be) open to individual interpretation and were not always followed.
Conclusions: Hospital policy is not necessarily a good guide to individual practice. The primary purpose of clinical records is to document patient care, and recording practices reflect this. There is considerable variation in vitamin K policies and midwifery practice in the United Kingdom, and there is no clear consensus on which babies should receive vitamin K intramuscularly.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2001 BMJ Publishing Group. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Medicine and Health (Leeds) > School of Medicine (Leeds) > Leeds Institute of Health Sciences (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Repository Officer |
Date Deposited: | 28 Nov 2008 14:15 |
Last Modified: | 24 Oct 2016 18:35 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.322.7295.1148 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | BMJ Publishing |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1136/bmj.322.7295.1148 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:4914 |