All are included in Kangaroo Mother Care except?

NHM UP Staff Nurse - 2016

Child Health Nursing (Pediatrics)

Easy

Appeared in: NHM UP Staff Nurse - 2016

Explanation

The question asks to identify the option that is NOT a component of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC).
KMC is a specific care package for low-birth-weight infants consisting of three core pillars: skin-to-skin contact, exclusive breastfeeding, and early discharge with follow-up.
While nutritional support is crucial, providing 'free nutritional supplements' is a separate public health or social welfare program, not a defining element of the KMC method itself.
The nutritional aspect of KMC is specifically defined as promoting and supporting exclusive breastfeeding.

Option A: Skin-to-skin contact is the cornerstone of KMC, often referred to as the 'Kangaroo position'. It provides warmth, stabilizes the infant's heart rate and breathing, and promotes bonding.
Option B: Early discharge from the hospital and diligent follow-up care are an integral part of the KMC package. It allows for a shorter hospital stay, reducing costs and the risk of hospital-acquired infections.
Option D: Exclusive breastfeeding is the nutritional pillar of KMC. The close skin-to-skin contact stimulates lactation in the mother and facilitates easy and frequent access to the breast for the infant.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Components of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
A nurse's primary role is to educate and support the mother and family in practicing KMC correctly and confidently. This includes teaching the proper position, feeding cues, and signs of danger.
KMC is a powerful, low-cost intervention that significantly reduces mortality, severe illness, and infections in low-birth-weight infants, making it a critical practice in neonatal care, especially in resource-limited settings.
What if? If the mother is unable to breastfeed, the nutritional component of KMC would involve supporting the mother to provide expressed breast milk. If that is not possible, a suitable breast-milk substitute would be used, but the skin-to-skin contact and early discharge components would remain unchanged.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the keyword 'except'. This indicates that three of the options are correct components of the topic, and one is incorrect.
The topic is 'Kangaroo Mother Care' (KMC). Recall the fundamental principles of KMC.
Evaluate each option against the core components of KMC: skin-to-skin contact, nutrition (breastfeeding), and early discharge/follow-up.
Option A, 'Skin to skin contact', is the primary component.
Option B, 'Early discharge and follow up', is a key goal.
Option D, 'Exclusive breast feeding', is the nutritional component.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Ghai Essential Pediatrics(pp 26-904 of 913) p. 147-149

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 2 — Subpart A (pp 1-232 of 464) p. 33-35

E6 Comprehensive Textbook of Community Health NursingShyamala D part 1 (pp 26-389 of 389) p. 171-174