J Korean Acad Nurs.  2010 Aug;40(4):561-570. 10.4040/jkan.2010.40.4.561.

Evaluation of Mental Status in High-Risk Neonates using Infants Coma Scale

• Ahn YM
• Sohn M
• Lee SM

• KMID: 1073078
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2010.40.4.561

Abstract

PURPOSE
This was a cross sectional descriptive study to introduce the Infants Coma Scale (ICS), describe mental status of high risk infants using ICS and explore the relationships between ICS and clinical variables in infants hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit of a university hospital in Korea.
METHODS
After ICS was developed and tested by the authors, a research nurse evaluated the mental status of the infants using the English version of ICS and obtained clinical information on the infants from their medical records.
RESULTS
Data from 88 infants were analyzed. About 60% were male, 90% were preterm births, and 40% had pathologic abnormalities. Their mean gestational age was 32.4 (+/-3.50) weeks and the mean birth weight was 1,842 (+/-728.6) grams. The Cronbach's alpha for the ICS was .78. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between ICS total score and five clinical variables including gestational age, birth weight, 1 and 5 min Apgar scores and respiration status.
CONCLUSION
Mental status is an important parameter in nursing assessment. ICS is a valid and reliable instrument, which clinicians can easily use to evaluate the mental status of high risk infants.

Keyword

Neonatal intensive care; Nursing assessment; Neurologic examination; Glasgow Coma Scale; Infant

MeSH Terms

Birth Weight
Brain Injuries/diagnosis/ultrasonography
Female
Gestational Age
*Glasgow Coma Scale
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Intensive Care Units, Neonatal
Male
*Mental Health
Premature Birth
Program Evaluation
Respiration, Artificial

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