Health care professionals' perspectives on the requirements facilitating the roll-out of kangaroo mother care in South Africa

• Main Authors: Wilma ten Ham (Author), Karin C.S. Minnie (Author), Christa S.J.C. van der Walt (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: AOSIS, 2016-10-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 1025-9848; 2071-9736; 10.4102/hsag.v21i0.958
• Keywords: Benefit levers; Best practice; Health professionals; Kangaroo mother care; Requirements; Rolling-out process; South Africa; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270
• Source: Health SA Gesondheid: Journal of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, Vol 21, Iss 0, Pp 228-237 (2016)

Background: Using best evidence to inform practice is the cornerstone of quality patient care, and requires spread, uptake, implementation and roll-out of best practices. Kangaroo mother care (KMC) was used as a best practice which has been partly rolled-out in South Africa. In order for successful roll-out of best practices, it is important to understand what health professionals perceive as requirements for the rolling-out process. However, no published research was found on requirements for rolling-out a best practice in the South African context. Purpose of the research: To explore and describe the perspectives of health professionals on the requirements for the rolling-out process of KMC as a best practice in South Africa. Methodology: Twelve semi-structured individual interviews were conducted in 2012 with health professionals from various South African healthcare levels, involved in the implementation and the rolling-out process of kangaroo mother care. Content analysis were guided in terms of the four requirements for roll-out of best practices, identified in Edwards and Grinspun's Evidence Informed Model of Care. Results: The requirements for the successful rollout of best practices mentioned by the participants in this study concur with the requirements of Edwards and Grinspun: personal alignment and protocol/policy alignment with the best practice; a roll-out plan; leadership; and supporting and reinforcing structures such as: resources, communicating, education and development regarding the best practice, and the organisational structure. The requirements were identified at four different levels: individual level (e.g. the nurse and medical specialists), management level (of the hospital), provincial level and national level.