Established Evidence Results

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Training/Education, Educational Material (provider), Audit/Attestation (provider), PROFESSIONAL_CAREGIVER, Education/Training (caregiver), HOSPITAL, Quality Improvement, Crib Card

Intervention Description: This quality improvement project used an interprofessional, multimodal approach to improve sleep safety for hospitalized infants. The working group for this project included the Director of Quality Improvement for the Department of Pediatrics, a Pediatric Hospitalist, a Senior Advanced Practice Nurse in Pediatrics, Senior Associate Counsel for the Office of Counsel, and a medical student with a background in social work. The interdisciplinary group met to review and discuss improvements to communication and facilitated the development of five family interventions: a designated safe sleep web page, a clear bedside guide to safe sleep, additional training for nursing staff in motivational interviewing, a card audit system, and electronic health record smart phrases. A short survey was conducted to assess how the safe sleep toolkit has been useful to care providers in the Children’s Hospital. 

Intervention Results: With the initial pilot implementation of the K-cards, staff reported increased ease of audits. Adherence to recommended safer sleep measures was a major barrier in previous attempts to improve institutional sleep safety (1). By making adherence easier, providers may be more likely to both participate in quality improvement tracking measures and follow-up with families directly.

Conclusion: These coordinated interventions reflect advantages of an interprofessional and family-centered approach: building rapport and achieving improvements to infant sleep safety.

Setting: Golisano Children’s Hospital

Population of Focus: Hospital healthcare providers

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PROVIDER/PRACTICE, Provider Training/Education, Provision of Safe Sleep Item, Assessment (Provider), HOSPITAL, Quality Improvement, Policy/Guideline (Hospital), Crib Card, CAREGIVER, Education/Training (caregiver), Assessment (caregiver), Educational Material (caregiver)

Intervention Description: The aims of this project were to increase the percentage of infants following safe sleep practices in the NICU before discharge and to determine if improving compliance with these practices would influence parent behavior at home.

Intervention Results: Audit data showed that there was a significant increase in the rate of supine positioning from 39% at baseline to 83% at follow-up (p<0.001). Parental surveys showed that there was a significant increase in the rate of supine position from 73% at baseline to 93% at follow-up (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Multifactorial interventions improved compliance with safe sleep practices in the NICU and at home.

Study Design: QE: pretest-posttest

Setting: Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital NICU in Houston, TX

Population of Focus: Infants in open cribs eligible for safe sleep practices; Parents of infants after discharge

Data Source: Crib audit/infant observation; Parent report

Sample Size: Baseline (n=62) Follow-up (n=79); Baseline (n=66) Follow-up (n=98)

Age Range: Not specified

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PROVIDER/PRACTICE, Provider Training/Education, HOSPITAL, Quality Improvement, Policy/Guideline (Hospital), Crib Card, Sleep Environment Modification, Promotional Event, POPULATION-BASED SYSTEMS, COMMUNITY, Social Media, CAREGIVER, Education/Training (caregiver), Educational Material (caregiver), Visual Display (Community)

Intervention Description: To improve sleep environment safety for inpatient infants.

Intervention Results: The proportion of infant cribs without loose objects in them increased (32-72%, p = .025), and safe sleep positioning remained stable (82% vs. 95%, p = .183).

Conclusion: Staff education, swaddle sleep sacks, and bedside storage containers were associated with improved sleep safety among pediatric inpatients at our institution and may help at other institutions.

Study Design: QE: pretest-posttest

Setting: University of Iowa Children’s Hospital

Population of Focus: Infants less than 1 year of age developmentally ready for a crib and asleep

Data Source: Crib audit/infant observation

Sample Size: Baseline (n=22) Follow-up 1 (not reported) Follow-up 2 (n=37) Follow-up 3 (n=18)

Age Range: Not specified

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Quality Improvement, Provider Training/Education, Crib Card, HOSPITAL, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE

Intervention Description: This project aimed to improve infant sleep practices in a 10-bed level I nursery using visual cues (crib cards) and nursing education.

Intervention Results: safe sleep practices improved from 32% (30/95) preintervention to 75% (86/115) postintervention (P < 0.01).

Conclusion: This study demonstrates that implementing a quality improvement initiative to improve infant sleep practices in a low-volume nursery is feasible and impactful.

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PROVIDER/PRACTICE, Provider Training/Education, HOSPITAL, Crib Card, Visual Display (Hospital), CAREGIVER, Education/Training (caregiver)

Intervention Description: To increase the percentage of eligible infants engaging in safe sleep practices (SSP) in two level III neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in the Boston, Massachusetts area.

Intervention Results: Of 755 cases, 395 (52.3%) were assessed to be eligible for SSP. From the pre- to post-intervention period, there was a significant improvement in overall compliance with SSP (25.9 to 79.7%; P-value<0.001). Adherence to each component of SSP also improved significantly following the intervention.

Conclusion: Safe infant sleep practices can be integrated into the routine care of preterm infants in the NICU. Modeling SSP to families far in advance of hospital discharge may improve adherence to SSP at home and reduce the risk of sleep-related morbidity and mortality in this vulnerable population of infants.

Study Design: QE: pretest-posttest

Setting: Two level III NICUs at South Shore Hospital and St Elizabeth’s Medical Center in MA

Population of Focus: Infants eligible for safe sleep practices as determined by an algorithm and clinical status of the infant

Data Source: Crib audit/infant observation

Sample Size: Baseline (n=112) Follow-up (n=118)

Age Range: Not specified

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): HOSPITAL, Quality Improvement, Crib Card, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Provider Training/Education, Nurse/Nurse Practioner, Audit/Attestation

Intervention Description: A multi-pronged, safe sleep quality improvement initiative was introduced in three inpatient pediatric hospitals. The intervention included: 1) nursing education, 2) identification of nurse "safe sleep" champions, 3) crib cards, 4) crib audits, and 5) weekly reporting of data showing nursing unit ABC compliance via tracking boards. A pre/post analysis of infants <12 months old was performed using a convenience method of sampling. The goal was ABC compliance of ≥25% for the post-intervention period.

Intervention Results: There were 204 cribs included pre-intervention and 274 cribs post-intervention. Overall, there was not a significant change in sleep position/location (78.4 to 76.6%, p = 0.64). There was a significant increase in the percent of infants sleeping in a safe sleep environment following the intervention (5.9 to 39.8%, p < 0.01). Overall ABC compliance, including both sleep position/location and environment, improved from 4.4% pre-intervention to 32.5% post-intervention (p < 0.01). There was no significant variability between the hospitals (p = 0.71, p = 1.00).

Conclusion: The AAP's safe sleep recommendations are currently not upheld in children's hospitals, but safer sleep was achieved across three children's campuses in this study. Significant improvements were made in sleep environment and overall safe sleep compliance with this multi-pronged initiative.

Setting: Three children's hospital campuses

Population of Focus: Hospital staff

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PROVIDER/PRACTICE, Provider Training/Education, Provision of Safe Sleep Item, HOSPITAL, Quality Improvement, Policy/Guideline (Hospital), Crib Card, Visual Display (Hospital), Sleep Environment Modification, Promotional Event, CAREGIVER, Education/Training (caregiver), Educational Material (caregiver), Attestation (caregiver), HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Audit/Attestation

Intervention Description: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to promote the AAP safe sleep recommendations and provide appropriate role modeling of these recommendations for hemodynamically stable infants throughout their hospital stay.

Intervention Results: Observations noted an improvement from 70% to 90% (p< 0.01) of infants in a safe sleep position when comparing pre- and postintervention results. There were some improvements in knowledge of and agreement with the AAP guidelines after the educational intervention, but not as much as expected.

Conclusion: There was inconsistency between nursing knowledge and practice about safe infant sleep. Nurses were aware of the AAP recommendations, but it took time to achieve close to full compliance in changing clinical practice. Observation was an important part of this initiative to reinforce knowledge and role model best practice for parents.

Study Design: QE: pretest-posttest

Setting: Golisano Children’s Hospital at the University of Rochester in NY

Population of Focus: Hemodynamically stable infants less than 1 year of age in the mother-baby unit and nine pediatric units

Data Source: Crib audit/infant observation

Sample Size: Baseline (n=65) Follow-up (n=60)

Age Range: Not specified

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Provider Training/Education, Nurse/Nurse Pratitioners, HOSPITAL, Quality Improvement, Crib Card, Audit/Attestation

Intervention Description: This quality improvement pilot program used a bundle approach to create a safe sleep program that consisted of safe sleep education for NICU nurses, the creation and implementation of safe sleep cards, and revision of the institution’s safe sleep policy. To assess safe sleep practices, sleep environment audits were completed pre- and post-safe sleep program. To assess nurses’ safe sleep knowledge, a safe sleep questionnaire was delivered pre- and post-education.

Intervention Results: The change in SSP (ΔSSP) following safe sleep program implementation and change in nurses' safe sleep knowledge (ΔKnowledge) following education.

Conclusion: SSP increased from 25 percent to 61 percent compliance, and nurses' knowledge scores increased from 83 percent to 97 percent.

Setting: Level III NICU

Population of Focus: Hospital staff

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Provider Training/Education, Nurse/Nurse Practitioner, PROFESSIONAL_CAREGIVER, Education/Training (caregiver), HOSPITAL, Quality Improvement, Crib card, Audit/Attestation

Intervention Description: A multidisciplinary team developed a quality improvement initiative to create a hospital-based safe sleep environment for all newborns and infants prior to discharge. The safe sleep initiative included two key elements: (1) parent education about safe infant sleep that included verifying their understanding of safe sleep, and (2) modeling of safe infant sleep environment by hospital staff. To monitor compliance, documentation of parent education, caregiver surveys, and hospital crib check audits were tracked monthly. A visual safe sleep “crib ticket”—a checklist of safe sleep guidelines-- was placed at the bedside of newborns who were ready for supine positioning. Investigators used Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles to evaluate the impact of the initiative from October 2015 through February 2018.

Intervention Results: Safe sleep education was documented for all randomly checked records (n = 440). A survey (n = 348) revealed that almost all caregivers (95.4%) reported receiving information on safe infant sleep. Initial compliance with all criteria in WBN (n = 281), NICU (n = 285), and general pediatric inpatient units (n = 121) was 0%, 0%, and 8.3%, respectively. At 29 months, WBN and NICU compliance with all criteria was 90% and 100%, respectively. At 7 months, general pediatric inpatient units' compliance with all criteria was 20%.

Conclusion: WBN, NICU and general pediatric inpatient unit collaboration with content experts led to unit-specific strategies that improved safe sleep practices.

Setting: Well-baby nursery (WBN) and NICU in an academic, quaternary care, regional referral center

Population of Focus: Hospital staff

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PROVIDER/PRACTICE, Provider Training/Education, Educational Material (Provider), HOSPITAL, Crib Card, Visual Display (Hospital), CAREGIVER, Education/Training (caregiver), Educational Material (caregiver)

Intervention Description: To determine the impact, at 60 days of life, of an educational intervention conducted in maternity centers aimed at improving adherence to the recommendations on safe infant sleep.

Intervention Results: After the intervention, a 35% increase in the supine sleeping position (p < 0.0001) was observed; exclusive breastfeeding increased by 11% (p= 0.01); and co-sleeping decreased from 31% to 18% (p< 0.0005).

Conclusion: The educational intervention was useful to improve adherence to the recommendations on safe sleep at 60 days of life: using the supine position and breastfeeding improved, and the rate of co-sleeping decreased. No changes were observed in the number of household members who smoke, bedroom sharing, and pacifier use.

Study Design: QE: pretest-posttest

Setting: Hospital Municipal Comodoro Meisner and Hospital Universitario Austral

Population of Focus: Live newborns with >36 gestation weeks born in two hospitals whose mothers lived in the District of Pilar without major congenital malformations and/or hospitalization in the NICU for more than 10 days

Data Source: Caregiver report

Sample Size: Baseline (n=251) Follow-up (n=248)

Age Range: Not specified

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Assessment (Provider), Provider Training/Education, PROFESSIONAL_CAREGIVER, Education/Training (caregiver), Crib Card, HOSPITAL, Quality Improvement, Policy/Guideline (Hospital)

Intervention Description: This was a pre/post quality improvement study conducted at a single quaternary care medical center from 2015 to 2019. Infants <12 months were observed in their sleeping environment pre- and post-implementation of multiple hospital-wide interventions to improve the sleep safety of hospitalized infants. Following baseline data collection, a multidisciplinary team reviewed the hospital’s infant sleep practices and developed and implemented a care bundle that included the following: A new safe sleep hospital policy; online-learning modules for all hospital staff who interact with infants; educational updates to physicians; an educational handout for volunteers; infant safe sleep education in the nursing admission and/or discharge education for infants; infant safe sleep education in the electronic health record; and various forms of education for families/caregivers in English and Spanish. The primary outcome measure was adherence to the ABCs of safe sleep (Alone in the sleep environment, on their Back on a firm sleep surface, and in an empty Crib).

Intervention Results: Only 1.3% of 221 infants observed preintervention met all ABCs of safe sleep; 10.6% of 237 infants met the ABCs of safe sleep postintervention. Significant improvements in the post-intervention cohort included sleeping in a crib (94% versus 80% preintervention; P < 0.001), avoidance of co-sleeping (3% versus 15% preintervention; P < 0.001), absence of supplies in the crib (58% versus 15% preintervention; P < 0.001), and presence of an empty crib (13% versus 2% preintervention; P < 0.001).

Conclusion: Most infants hospitalized at our institution do not sleep in a safe environment. However, the implementation of a care bundle led to improvements in the sleep environment in the hospital. Further research is necessary to continue improving in-hospital safe sleep and to assess whether these practices impact the home sleep environment.

Setting: A single quaternary care medical center

Population of Focus: Hospital healthcare providers

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PROFESSIONAL_CAREGIVER, Educational Material (caregiver), Provision of Safe Sleep Item, HOSPITAL, Quality Improvement, Crib Card, Policy/Guideline (Hospital), HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Educational Material (Provider), Nurse/Nurse Practitioner, Audit/Attestation, Audit/Attestation (Provider)

Intervention Description: This hospital quality improvement initiative performed a series of Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles designed to increase the proportion of infants placed in a “perfect sleep” environment that met all of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ infant safe sleep guidelines. The initiative took place while the hospital was preparing for Baby Friendly certification, with increased emphasis on rooming in and skin to skin at the same time. Initial cycles targeted nurse and parental education, while later cycles focused on providing sleep sacks/wearable blankets for the infants. The goal was to achieve 70% “perfect sleep” compliance among infants cared for in the hospital.

Intervention Results: While we did not meet our goal, the percentage of infants with 'perfect sleep' increased from a baseline of 41.9% to 67.3%, and we also saw improvement in each of the individual components that contribute to this composite measure. Improvements were sustained over 12 months later, suggesting that QI interventions targeting infant safe sleep in this inpatient setting can have long-lasting results.

Conclusion: This project also suggests that infant safe sleep QI initiatives and preparation towards Baby Friendly Hospital Certification can be complementary.

Population of Focus: Hospital healthcare providers

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Provider Training/Education, Nurse/Nurse Practitioner, HOSPITAL, Quality Improvement, Sleep Environment Modification, Crib Card, Visual Display, Audit/Attestation

Intervention Description: A quality improvement (QI) model was developed to introduce the AAP guidelines on safe sleep (SS) practices into the NICU nursing practice in a consistent and sustainable method. The project team included the NICU hospitalist, a neonatologist, the Director of Newborn Services at the Wakefield Division, the nurse manager, two nurses, and a nurse practitioner. The team members met at monthly QI meetings to discuss progress for the duration of the project. Key drivers were identified, and the team used PDSA cycles to target interventions, which included a crib check tool and presentations by SS experts. One of the team’s main concerns during the initial deliberation sessions was the suboptimal temperature control in the NICU, and after meeting with the engineering staff, more sensors were placed in the NICU to eliminate the wide variations of temperatures throughout the day. The primary aim of the project was a 20% improvement in the SS compliance rates (from 7% to 27%) by December, 2017.

Intervention Results: Approximately 600 crib checks (CC) were performed over the duration of this project. At baseline, 7% of infants were placed in a SS position in the NICU. Following the QI project, SS position increased to 96% of infants.

Conclusion: Multifactorial interventions significantly improved SS compliance among NICU nurses. Cultivating personal motivation among nurses, consistent empowerment and dedication to culture change by the entire team was crucial for the sustainability of the project.

Setting: Wakefield neonatal service, Montefiore Medical Center