Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was done to develop and test a home-based discharge program.
METHODS
The study design was a pretest-posttest nonequivalent nonsynchronized quasi-experimental design. Participants were mothers of premature infants on oxygen therapy at home. The participants, 49 mothers, were assigned to either the experimental group (24) or control group (25). Data collection was conducted from September, 2008 through February, 2009. Maternal confidence and anxiety were measured using a questionnaire. Chi-square test, t-test and Repeated Measures ANOVA were used to analysis the data.
RESULTS
Two hypotheses, "Maternal confidence in the experimental group will be higher than that of the control group" and "Perceived anxiety level in the experimental group will be lower than that of the control group", were set up and both hypotheses were supported as there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups.
CONCLUSION
It suggests that the discharge program developed in this study is an efficient intervention method to boost maternal confidence of the mothers with premature infants and to decrease their anxiety; therefore, this program is expected to be of use in nursing interventions.

• Keywords: Parenting education;Premature infants;Oxygen inhalation therapy;Anxiety;Maternal confidence