Study on current status of neonatal wards in medical institutions in Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province, 2021 − 2022

Objective To investigate the current status of neonatal wards in medical institutions in Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province, 2021 − 2022, so as to provide theoretical foundation to enhance neonatal unit construction throughout the city.

Methods A total of 27 midwifery institutions (accounting for 94.68% of the total deliveries) were recruited as research subjects, based on their annual delivery volume exceeding 100 cases. Data of neonatal ward construction were collected from Oct 1^st, 2021 to Sep 30^th, 2022 through Zhongshan Maternal and Child Health Information Platform, outpatient physician workstations, inpatient physician workstations, as well as electronic medical record systems. Supplementary data including staff title, transfer volume, and quantity of equipment were collected through questionnaire survey. The questionnaires were distributed to the director of neonatal ward.

Results All (100.0%) tertiary hospitals set up level Ⅲ neonatal units, while 64.7% secondary hospitals set up level Ⅱ neonatal units, and 50.0% primary hospitals set up level Ⅰ neonatal units. The difference were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Annual deliveries were 41 242, the number of discharge per year were 12 414 and the number of transfer per year were 515. The bed-to-physician ratio was 0.41 (151 physicians/366 beds), while the bed-to-nurse ratio was 0.90 (329 nurses/366 beds). The number of beds accounted for 8.87‰ of annual deliveries, while the transfer volume accounted for 1.25% of annual deliveries. The number of incubators, blue light phototherapy devices and monitors per bed were 0.86, 0.54, and 1.04, respectively. The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) had 72 beds, and the number of invasive ventilators per NICU bed was 0.60.

Conclusion The level of neonatal wards in Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province fulfills the requirement of comprehensive development standards of hospitals at the same level. Human resources, beds and equipments are sufficient. However, the supply of incubators and invasive ventilators are insufficient. It is recommended that the hospital should increase investment and improvement to meet the latest construction requirements of neonatal wards and ensure better health of newborns.