Abstract
Background: Preterm and low birth weight infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are at high risk for physiological instability, prolonged hospitalization, impaired bonding and breastfeeding, and increased mortality, with costs reaching up to $233,000 per stay (Broughton et al., 2022). The Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) protocol improves thermoregulation, stability, bonding, breastfeeding, and survival; however, its implementation remains inconsistent due to the lack of standardized nurse-led protocols.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether implementation of a standardized nurse-led Kangaroo Mother Care protocol, compared to current inconsistent practice, would improve NICU length of stay, physiological stability, and bonding in preterm and low birth weight neonates.
Methods: A comprehensive search and critique were done to assess the effectiveness of nurse-led KMC in preterm and low birth weight neonates admitted to the NICU. Databases such as CINAHL, PubMed, and Google Scholar were used for Level 1 peer-reviewed articles. Inclusion criteria included level 1 evidence of pre-term and low birth weight infants admitted to the NICU; exclusions were term infants, non-peer-reviewed articles, and level II-IV articles.
Results: Implementation of a standardized Kangaroo Mother Care Protocol on preterm and low birth weight infants significantly improved physiological stability, bonding, length of stay, and decreased morbidity and mortality.
Sigma Membership
Non-member
Type
Other
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Literature Review
Research Approach
Mixed/Multi Method Research
Keywords:
NICU, Neonatal Intensive Care Units, Neonatal Intensive Care, Neonate, Kangaroo Mother Care, KMC, Skin to Skin, Thermoregulation, Body Temperature Regulation, Mother-Infant Relationship, Length of Stay, Length of Stay in Hospitals, Physiological Stability, Low Birth Weight, Premature Infants, Infant Care
Advisor
Charity M. Chimwala-Selico
Degree
Master's
Degree Grantor
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Degree Year
2026
Recommended Citation
Capul, Madison; Bejarano, Maria; Kirk-Banks, Tionette; McMillin, Kelly; Ubaezuonu, Onyinyechukwu; Simsuangco, Amabelle; and Chimwala-Selico, Charity Msamalia, "Effects of Nurse-Led Standardized Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) Protocol on NICU Length of Stay, Physiological Stability, and Bonding: Evidence-Based Recommendation for Translation into Practice" (2026). General Submissions: Clinical Settings Materials. 59.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/gen_sub_csm/59
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Faculty Approved: Degree-based Submission
Acquisition
Self-submission
Date of Issue
2026-05-14
Full Text of Presentation
wf_yes
Description
Preterm birth remains a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2024), approximately 1 in 10 infants are born preterm or with low birth weight and are at increased risk for complications like respiratory distress, infection, impaired thermoregulation, and failure to thrive. This systematic review of literature explored the effects of standardized Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) protocol on NICU length of stay, physiological stability, and bonding; and provides evidence-based recommendation for translation into practice.