Increasing Caregiver Knowledge of Water Safety in Children Aged 1-4 Years

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of this DNP project was to develop and present an evidence-based educational session on water safety for caregivers of children aged 1 to 4 years at Evernorth Care Group to improve caregiver knowledge on water safety. Background. Sixty-nine percent of drownings for children aged 4 years and younger occur during non-swim times, such as swimming pools, hot tubs/spas, bathtubs, standing water in homes (e.g., pet bowls, coolers, trash cans, buckets, bird baths, & fountains), and natural bodies of water (e.g., ponds, irrigation, & drainage ditches). Despite the programs and educational tools available, prevention efforts have shown that pediatric drownings remain a high concern, which highlights the need for evidence-based education for caregivers on water safety and drowning prevention techniques. Methods. This project utilized a quantitative, one-group, pretest/posttest design. The pretest determined the amount and level of understanding that caregivers initially had regarding water safety, including swimming lessons, pool fencing, monitoring of children in the water, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and floatation devices. Caregivers received an educational presentation, after which the posttest was administered with the same questions as the pretest. The posttest assessed for a change in caregiver knowledge after the educational presentation and handout. Eight caregivers of children aged 1-4 years who presented to Evernorth Care Group Paseo for a well-visit participated. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired t-tests. Results. A total of eight eligible caregivers participated in the water safety educational presentation. All 8 participants completed the pretest, educational presentation, and posttest. Data analysis revealed a statistically significant (p ≤0.05) increase in caregiver knowledge of water safety following the intervention. Conclusions. This quality improvement project addressed the need for further caregiver education on water safety. An educational presentation and handout were used in the pediatric primary care setting aimed at caregivers of children aged 1-4 years. The presentation resulted in increased knowledge of water safety as evidenced by increasing questionnaire scores from the pretest to the posttest. The positive outcomes of this project’s interventions showed that these educational materials presented in the clinic to caregivers increased their knowledge and had the potential to decrease drowning risks for children aged 1-4 years.