NURSING CARE IN NEONATES WITH ANENCEPHALY AT THE LATACUNGA GENERAL HOSPITAL

Anencephaly is considered a genetic malformation that can be detected in the first months of pregnancy to prevent the disease. Objective: To develop a nursing care plan for neonates with anencephaly in the General Hospital Latacunga. Methodology: The methodology was qualitative and quantitative, which helped to gather the necessary information to provide a solution to the research problem, the type of research design was non-experimental, field, with a cross-sectional diagnosis, its scope was exploratory, descriptive and explanatory. The technique used was the survey with the review of clinical histories. The population was the nursing personnel working in the Neonatology area, a total of 8 nurses. Results: Among the most relevant results, there were 3 cases reported of neonates with anencephaly, which only lasted up to 2 days after birth and were born with low birth weight and premature. It was identified that 25% knew that the best way to prevent this disease. 38% knew that these neonates need intensive care due to their risky condition of mortality, 88% considered that a care plan should be made. Conclusions: According to the results obtained, the need for a nursing care plan for neonatal patients with anencephaly who are attended in the neonatology area of the General Hospital Latacunga was identified in order to improve the care provided by the nursing staff to these patients.