Experiences with neonatal jaundice management in hospitals and the community: interviews with Australian health professionals
Authors: Trasancos Claudia , Horey Dell 
Published: February 2024

Introduction

Worldwide, neonatal jaundice accounts for considerable morbidity and mortality. Although severe adverse outcomes, such as hyperbilirubinaemia and kernicterus, are uncommon in high-income countries, these outcomes do occur, have enormous lifelong personal, health and social costs, and may be preventable. Evidence-based practice commonly relies on clinical guidelines; however, their implementation can be difficult. Implementation of neonatal jaundice care has been adversely affected by issues with professional boundaries, competing professional priorities and poor understanding of neonatal jaundice. This paper focuses on the perceptions and experiences of Australian health professionals involved in the management of neonatal jaundice.

Methods

Using a qualitative descriptive approach, semistructured interviews were undertaken to gain understanding of the experiences of health professionals in Australia across the scope of care for jaundiced newborns through an interpretivist approach and to identify possible gaps in the delivery of evidence-based care. Health professionals from a range of disciplines and care settings were recruited by purposive maximum variation sampling. Interviews were conducted face-to-face or by telephone with detailed notes taken and a field journal maintained. Interview scripts were verified by participants and imported into NVivo software. Data were analysed for major themes according to type and contexts of practice.

Results

Forty-one health professionals from six broad discipline areas were interviewed. Two major themes and explanatory subthemes were found. The first theme,falling through the gaps, highlighted gaps in evidence-based care, as described by four explanatory subthemes: professional boundaries, blindness to possibility of adverse outcomes, competing professional development priorities and unintended consequences.

The second major theme,we know what should happen—but how?,described participant perceptions that it was known what was required to improve care but how to achieve such changes was unclear. The two subthemes are: improvements in education and training, and standardised policies and protocols.

Conclusions

Multiple barriers to the provision of evidence-based care related to neonatal jaundice management are experienced by health professionals in Australia. Clinical guidelines are not sufficient to support health professionals deliver evidence-based care in the complex contexts in which they work. Implementation strategies for evidence-based practice need to take account of the experiences of health professionals and the challenges they face. Such strategies need to focus on improving collaboration between different disciplines for the well-being of those needing care. In the case of neonatal jaundice management, consideration is also needed in how to raise awareness of the importance of avoiding severe adverse outcomes, even when they might be rare, and how this might be done. Addressing issues that lead to disjointed care or poor knowledge of neonatal jaundice among health professionals is essential.