Mothers’ Stories about Their Experiences in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

2000 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 13-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane Holditch-Davis ◽  
Margaret Shandor Miles
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care ◽  
Family Factors ◽  
Parental Role ◽  
Parental Distress ◽  
Care Providers

The purpose of this article is to let mothers tell the stories of their neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) experiences and to determine how well these experiences fit the Preterm Parental Distress Model. Interviews were conducted with 31 mothers when their infants were six months of age corrected for prematurity and were analyzed using the conceptual model as a framework. The analysis verified the presence in the data of the six major sources of stress indicated in the Preterm Parental Distress Model: (1) pre-existing and concurrent personal and family factors, (2) prenatal and perinatal experiences, (3) infant illness, treatments, and appearance in the NICU, (4) concerns about the infant’s outcomes, (5) loss of the parental role, and (6) health care providers. The study indicates that health care providers, and especially nurses, can have a major role in reducing parental distress by maintaining ongoing communication with parents and providing competent care for their infants.

Loyalty and Hope: Keys to Parenting in the NICU

2003 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 39-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margo Charchuk ◽  
Christy Simpson
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Medical Needs

When a newborn is admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit the parents may experience a variety of emotions, including a heightened sense of loyalty to their child. While health care providers are working to meet the medical needs of their patients, parents need to find ways to fulfill this sense of loyalty and to express it via hope. Through sharing the experience of having a child in the NICU, I examine hope and loyalty as critical features of parents’ NICU experience, explaining why these emotions need to be acknowledged and encouraged by health care professionals.

Newborn in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Parental Concerns

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 196-198
Author(s):  
Pardeep Dhingra
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Parental Satisfaction ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Care Providers

Background: Having a newborn baby admitted in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) can be a stressful experience for the parents. Objectives: This study was planned to know the following: 1. The concerns of parents whose babies were admitted in NICU 2. Parental satisfaction level about the services provided 3. Assessment of parents for their understanding and knowledge at discharge Study Design: Semiqualitative interview. Participants: Parents of 100 (56 M, 44 F) neonates. Intervention: We subjected them to a semiqualitative interview on the day of discharge of their newborn infant. Questionnaire consisted of parent’s understanding regarding NICU and health care providers, their perspective about the possible cause of illness in their baby along with competence and communication skills of health care providers. Parental satisfaction about the services was assessed by the short assessment of patient satisfaction (SAPS). They were assessed for their anxiety and depression levels by hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS). They were assessed for their knowledge about care of baby at home after discharge by patient knowledge questionnaire (PKQ). Results: Parents of 44% babies had no prior idea about NICU and why babies need to be admitted. In total, 48% mothers and 36% fathers had clinically significant anxiety levels as assessed by HADS. Many parents complained about lack of communication about their babies illness, its cause, duration of treatment, and prognosis. Both parents scored the caregivers on borderline scores on the SAPS. At discharge only 13% knew the correct dose and duration of medicines prescribed. PKQ scores varied from 5 to 20. Almost all parents emphasized the need for more space, resting place for mothers, and better communication by doctors. Conclusions: This study reveals a significant communication gap between health care providers and parents. Concerns of parents have to be addressed to have their full participation in newborn care.

Parental Experiences in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia: A Phenomenological Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Endalkachew Mengesha ◽  
Desalegne Zelellw ◽  
Likawunt Asfaw ◽  
Mulugeta Tesfa ◽  
Mitiku Debela ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care ◽  
Bahir Dar ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Specialized Hospital

Abstract Background: Neonatal intensive care settings are important to save the lives of sick neonates; however, parents are challenged by many stressful conditions during their stay outside the rooms of intensive care units. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the lived experiences of parents in a neonatal intensive care unit at Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Bahir Dar, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods: In this study, a phenomenological qualitative approach was used to explore parental experience and data were collected using in-depth interviews from purposively selected parents. In addition, a thematic approach was used to analyze the data using Open Code Software Version 4.02. Results: In this study, parents found to developed psychological problems like anxiety, stress, worry, hopelessness and state of confusion. Emotional related conditions were anger, crying, sadness, frustration, dissatisfaction, regret, disappointment, feeling bad, self-blaming, nervousness, disturbance and lack of self-control. Parents expressed that health care providers showed indiscipline, lack of commitment and not cooperative at all. Conclusion: Parents of neonates in the intensive care unit were challenged due to a shortage of money and traveling a long distance. Psychological and emotional factors were identified as major stressors of parents during their stay in the NICU. Hence, providing psycho-emotional supports, strengthening parents–healthcare providers’ interaction, and scale up neonatal intensive care unit service into the primary health care unit are recommended.

Building Information Bridges Between Parents and Health Care Providers in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Helliwell
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Information Exchange ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Building Information

The goal of this study was to investigate the information needs of parents in a neonatal intensive care unit environment (NICU), and to uncover any gaps in the information exchange between parents and health care providers as perceived by parents of NICU patients. Brenda Dervin's sense-making theory was employed to test the idea that health care providers (HCPs) offered information . . .

scholarly journals Prerequisites for provision of spiritual care in the neonatal intensive care unit in Iran: a qualitative study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haideh Heidari ◽  
Nasrin Mehrnoush ◽  
Mansoureh Karimollahi
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Spiritual Care ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care ◽  
Nurse Managers ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Families With Children

Abstract Background: Spiritual care in line with the holistic and comprehensive care is the important need for families with children who are hospitalized in an intensive care unit. Objectives: This study aimed to explore perceptions of health care providers' regarding the spiritual care of parents with a newborn in the neonatal intensive care unit in Iran.Materials/Patients and Methods: This study was conducted using qualitative content analysis which includes open coding, creating classification, and abstraction. Eight nurses and one doctor were chosen to be interviewed by a purposeful sampling method.Results: Based on data analysis three categories of nurses' support need for spiritual care and the necessity of changes in structural conditions were identified.Conclusions: Hospital administrators must adopt measures to change the neonatal intensive care unit circumstances. Also, it is mandated that nurse managers plan training about the importance of providing spiritual care to patients and families.

scholarly journals Acceptance of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Launching Point

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 216495612092464
Author(s):  
Julie Johnson Rolfes ◽  
Kimberly Christensen ◽  
Lynn A Gershan
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Chinese Medicine ◽  
Traditional Chinese Medicine ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Treatment Modalities ◽  
Care Providers

Background Because neonatology is a relatively new medical specialty, it is host to on-going, rapid adaptation and evolution of medical treatments and practices. This process has almost exclusively focused on Western, biomedical treatment modalities, without inclusion of potentially beneficial Traditional Chinese Medicine practices. It is unclear how receptive health-care providers in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and families of NICU patients would be to the introduction of adapted Traditional Chinese Medicine treatments into the NICU environment. Objective To assess the potential for engagement of patients, families, and staff in the NICU with Traditional Chinese Medicine therapies and to provide targeted education and low-risk Traditional Chinese Medicine treatments to support the health and well-being of those 3 groups. Methods A feasibility pilot study including weekly walk-in Traditional Chinese Medicine sessions within the NICU for parents and staff, and neonatal patient consultations, both of which included hands-on therapies and education tailored to each participant's unique needs. Pre- and postsurveys were administered over 3 phases. Results Walk-in sessions were attended by 83 adults and participants reported benefits, with no ill effects. There were 5 neonatal consultations with staff expressing an interest in more. Several obstacles to accessing Traditional Chinese Medicine modalities were identified in pre-surveys and were addressed with education and preemptive modifications to the therapies offered. Conclusion Acceptance of Traditional Chinese Medicine modalities in the NICU opens the door to future studies implementing integrative health services into the NICU care model.

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