Saint Louis University

School of Nursing

JOURNAL ON DIFFERENCES IN NEWBORN UMBILICAL CORD CARE

Submitted by:
Manglapus, Giana L.
BSN II-C3

Submitted to:
Mrs. Maryknole Boadilla
Clinical Instructor

April 18, 2017

Summary

The article is entitled Differences in newborn umbilical cord care that aims to investigate
the frequency of different cord care practices as well recommendations to parents on cord
care, along with the need to identify as well as reach the consensus on best cord care
practices and other procedures in newborn care among health workers. The study was
conducted among 110 health care workers at the nursery departments in two general
hospitals, six community-health nursing services and 16 pediatric practices in Eastern
Croatia. The questionnaire created for this research has evaluated different cord care
practices and recommendations to parents, a need to identify, as well as reach the
consensus on best practices in cord care and other procedures in newborn care. The result
was that significant differences were determined in three types of recommendations to
parents about the care of dry cord; antibiotic powder and sterile gauze; alcohol-free
disinfectant and sterile gauze and 3% hydrogen peroxide, antibiotic powder and sterile
gauze and two recommendations for wet cord; alcohol-free disinfectant, antibiotic
powder and sterile gauze; and 3% hydrogen peroxide, saline solution, antibiotic powder
and sterile gauze. The majority of respondents stressed the need for publishing guidelines
on cord care, 104, and for other procedures in newborn care, 108. More than a half of
respondents, 63, declared the need to reach a national agreement on guidelines for
umbilical cord care. In conclusion, Health care workers employ, as well as recommend
different umbilical cord care practices. It is necessary to prepare and reach a national
agreement on written guidelines for umbilical cord care as well as for other procedures in
newborn care.

Reaction:
Keep the umbilical cord dry and dont put anything on it, is one of the guidelines that we
follow here in the Philippines, but not all respondent are following it. Some still cover
the umbilical cord or apply creams that they think may help in faster healing of the
wound without asking their physicians about it that may lead to complications such as
infections. According to the article, which conducted at Croatia in Western Europe,
majority of respondents stated that there is no written guidelines were available, just a
verbal agreement. In this situation, there is a possibility that one practices differs from
another and therefore there is also differences in the healing time of the cord stump.
This article is relevant to our practice to realize that there is a guidelines in caring for
umbilical cord stump that we should follow so that there is a unity in teaching the parents
therefore there is no confusion that may arise to them. We are taught that we should
encouraged mother to keep the umbilical cord dry, it means that they should not apply
anything on the cord since it is high risk for infection. This article is also relevant for the
patients, to be free from any complication because they know what to do and what to
avoid. Philippines is one of the developing countries, but this not a barrier in keeping the
infant safe and secure. Since umbilical cord care not requiring any money for it to be free
from infections. It is just, all parents need to be knowledgeable about caring for their
infant especially if they are first time mothers who are lack of exposure in caring for a
newborn. There is a limitation in this study, because it is only conducted in Croatia,
therefore, there may be also other practices that the other country use in caring umbilical
cord stump. Therefore, it is needed to have further research on this article.

References:
Kanisek, S., Prlic,N., Barac,I., Nemet, L.D. (2015). Differences in newborn
umbilical cord care 12(2): 183-189 retrieved from 10.1739/792-15.