Development of a learning object for caring for the sensory environment in a neonatal unit: noise, light and handling

Abstract

Background: The environment in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) can contribute to the occurrence of stressing situations involving the hospitalized newborn, the family and the health team, due to inappropriate sensory stimuli.

Aim: To describe the experience of constructing the Learning Object (LO) about the sensory environment (noise, light and handling) in a NICU.

Methods: A LO about the environment in a NICU was developed in Flash® for WEB, utilizing participative methodology in company with the unit’s team, focusing on sensitizing the team about the effects of noise, light and handling, and about the strategies for their reduction.

Results: The participants understood the importance which attention paid to the environment of the NICU plays in the development of the newborn. The LO was organized into theoretical modules with the insertion of multimedia and a simulation module.

Conclusion: The LO is considered appropriate for use in the training of nurses and in the educating of NICU health care professionals on the neonatal unit’s environment. For this teaching tool’s efficacy in the education of health teams and the family to be verified, however, it will need to be applied practically.