MATERNAL LEARNING NEEDS IN EARLY POSTPARTUM: AN INSTRUMENT DEVELOPMENT STUDY.
Contributors: Rush University, College Of Nursing.
Published: 1996
Number of pages: 129
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Health Sciences, Obstetrics and Gynecology.; Education, Adult and Continuing.
Description: The purpose of this instrument development study was to address the following question. Is the Combs Assessment of Maternal Learning Needs in Early Postpartum (CAMLNEP) scale a reliable and valid instrument for measuring maternal learning needs in the early postpartal period?.

A methodological approach was used to test the reliability and validity of the CAMLNEP. In two southeastern states and three cities, 510 voluntary low risk postpartal clients on mother-baby units completed the CAMLNEP within 24-48 hours after delivery. The inclusion criteria for the study were: (1) low risk obstetrical client (normal vaginal or elective cesarean delivery with healthy mother and newborn); (2) aged 20-42; and (3) could speak, read and write English.

The original CAMLNEP was a 49-item Likert scale instrument with response choices ranging from most important (4) to not important (1). The CAMLNEP consisted of maternal items and infant items. The maternal items and infant items were each divided into two subscales: Recovery from pregnancy/labor and delivery; Activities of daily living I can do when I go home; Immediate care of the newborn; and Safety/growth and development. The CAMLNEP contained 18 demographic questions.

Demographic data were analyzed by descriptive statistics. The participants, mean age 26.7 years and mean educational level 13.6 years, were primarily Caucasian, married, multiparous and delivered vaginally. The majority of the participants received prenatal care and prenatal education and worked while pregnant.

Construct validity was confirmed by multiple groups factor analysis. Construct validity was established by refining the four scales using principal component factor analysis and establishing homogeneity of the scales. Confirmatory multiple group factor analysis confirmed four 7-item subscales. Reliability of responses was established by test-retest, using the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient. Test-retest reliability was established for the CAMLNEP with a coefficient of.89 for the total instrument and.79,.69,.85,.84 for each respective subscale. Internal consistency, demonstrated by Cronbach alpha coefficient, was established with alpha scores of.78,.81,.90,.88 respectively for each subscale. The resulting 28-item CAMLNEP was found to be reliable and valid for this sample for measuring maternal learning needs in early postpartum.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 57-03, Section: B, page: 1709.

Thesis (D.N.SC.)--RUSH UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE OF NURSING, 1996.

School code: 0591.