Abstract
Neonatal hypoxic encephalopathy is a medical condition resulting from insufficiently
oxygenated blood directed to the brain (central nervous system) in neonates, leading to brain
damage. Neonatal hypoxic encephalopathy has been among the leading causes of death in
neonates globally. Infants in neonatal intensive care units that survive the condition often
develop serious neurodevelopmental disorders, such as cerebral palsy, later in life. Neonatal
hypoxic encephalopathy can occur during pregnancy and intrapartum. The prominent cause
is a prolonged second stage of labour, where neonates become distressed, resulting in the
brain receiving less oxygenated blood. This condition is referred to as intrapartum asphyxia
and is a leading cause of neonatal encephalopathy. During examination post-delivery, these
neonates present with very low Apgar scores below 5 at one minute and five minutes.
This study aimed to measure professional nurses’ competence in treating neonatal hypoxic
encephalopathy and make recommendations to improve their knowledge and skills in this
area. The researcher used a quantitative, descriptive, and comparative correlational design.
The research setting was neonatal intensive care units in three hospitals in the Gauteng
Province (hospitals A, B, and C). A census was conducted to get every professional nurse to
participate in the study. The researcher used a questionnaire to collect data from the
respondents. The questionnaire consisted of three sections: Section A focused on
respondents’ demographic data, and Section B posed questions on professional nurses’
experiences in the treatment of neonatal encephalopathy Section C’s questions measured
professional nurses’ competence in treating neonatal hypoxic encephalopathy.
Data were analysed, and interpretations were provided. A pilot study was conducted to test
the feasibility of the chosen instrument for data collection before the main study commenced.
Respondents’ rights to privacy and confidentiality were taken into consideration. Measuring
professional nurses’ competence in treating neonatal hypoxic encephalopathy enabled the
researcher to identify gaps in knowledge among professional nurses. The researcher also
identified critical factors that influenced professional nurses’ competency.