Development of Visiting Nurse"s Service Model in Child Day-care Centers

Abstract

Objectives: The number of children at child day-care centers is rising and the entering age is getting younger, and it requires better management of health care by health professionals. The purpose of this study was to develop visiting nurse"s service model in child day-care centers for promoting child"s health and preventing and detecting health problems.

Method: Visiting nurse"s service program in child day-care centers was developed based on the survey result on child health need, and nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design study was performed to analyze the service effect. Three facilities were assigned to each experimental and control group. About 100 children of each group, their mothers, and their teachers were participated. Finally this program was evaluated with structure, process, and outcome framework.

Results: This program was served once a week for 12 weeks. Service took about 115 minutes and routine check up, providing health information, infection prevention occupied nurse"s activities mostly. This service program was effective in finding health problems, reducing accident and safety risk factors. Parents" and teachers" satisfaction on this program were high. Facilitating factors were independent space for exam, collaboration with staff in providing this program. On the other hand, barrier was interrupting the regular program when nurse visited daycare centers.

Conclusions: This study showed the possibilities of effective child health care model in child day-care centers and suggests this new model as a strategy in policy making for child health promotion.