Mubarak Ali, Atta Ullah Mazhar, Muhammad Irshad ul Haq.
Tetanus Neonatorum.
Pak Paed J Jan ;26(4):187-90.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to: 1) Describe the impact of nursing care by the mother on the outcome of neonatal tetanus. 2) Assess the frequency of tetanus neonatorum. Design: a descriptive-cross sectional study. Place & duration of study: The study was conducted at department of pediatrics B. V. Hospital Bahawalpur and comprised of all cases of neonatal tetanus admitted during the year 1999 and 2000. Subjects & Methods: A total of 163 cases fulfilled the WHO criteria for the diagnosis of neonatal tetanus during the study period. The mother mainly carried out the nursing care. The data was collected and compared retrospectively with the data of 1997 and 1998. Results: During the year 1999 and 2000, 163 cases were admitted, of which 46 (28.46%) expired (the nursing care was provided mainly by the mother of the patients), while 300 cases were admitted during the year 1997 and 1998, out of which 104 (42.04%) expired (the nursing care was provided by the hospital nurses). Conclusion: The utilization of services of the nursing care of tetanus patients by mothers seems to have useful impact on its outcome and is an acceptable alternative for the shortage of nursing staff. The declining incidence of tetanus neonatorum over the past few years is a ray of hope for future and demands reinforcement of efforts for its elimination that seem to be possible in near future.

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