Abstract: Objective: To develop a comprehensive care program for premature infants and evaluate its effect, and provide a reference for the home care of premature infants. Methods: The comprehensive care program for premature infants was developed based on the Information-Motivation-Behavioral skills model through literature review, semi-structured interviews, and the Delphi method. A total of 131 premature infants admitted to the NICU pre-discharge unit of a tertiary grade A hospital in Qingdao from October 2023 to May 2024 and its primary caregivers were selected as participants by convenience sampling. They were divided into an intervention group (n=66) and a control group (n=65) based on admission time. The control group received routine care and follow-up, while the intervention group implemented the comprehensive care program. The growth and development of premature infants, exclusive breastfeeding rates, as well as main caregivers' caregiving ability, parenting sense of competence etc. at the time of discharge, 1 month after discharge, and 3 months after discharge were compared between the two groups. Results: The results of the Generalized Estimating Equations showed that the growth trends of body weight of the intervention group were better than those in the control group (P<0.05). At 1 month and 3 months after discharge, the exclusive breastfeeding rate of premature infants in the intervention group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05), and the caregiving ability, parenting competence and satisfaction on care of primary caregivers in the intervention group were also higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: The application of comprehensive care program can improve the growth and development of premature infants, enhance parents' home caregiving ability and parenting sense of competence, and improve nursing satisfaction.

Key words: neonatal; Information-Motivation-Behavioral skill model; pre-discharge; home care; caregiving ability