A Smart Phone Application for the Mothers of Premature Infants

Background: Considering the large number of premature infants and the importance of providing health care, clinical examinations, and home care for them, mothers should be trained and necessary information should be given to them. The aim of this research was to develop a smart phone application to educate the mothers of premature infants. Methods: This research was completed in 2017 and carried out in two phases. In the first phase, the information needs of mothers (n=60)were investigated. In the second phase, a prototype of the smart phone application was developed based on the results derived from the first phase. Finally, the application was evaluated by using a standard questionnaire. Results: The mobile application covered four main areas, including �physical conditions and emotional needs�, �nutrition, sleep and hygiene�, �medical and nursing needs� and �vaccination and growth curve�. The results of the usability testing showed that the users were satisfied with the application. Conclusion: Mothers of premature infants tend to increase their knowledge about their infant's requirements. The application designed in the current study can help mothers to be informed about the premature infants' requirements. Further research is required to evaluate the effectiveness of using this mobile application. © 2019 AGB