Rinehimer M1, Zipp GP2, Cahill T2, Parasher RK3
1Misericordia University, Physical Therapy, Dallas, United States, 2Seton Hall University, Medical Health Sciences, South Orange, United States, 3University of Delhi Karkardooma, Vikas Marg, Amar Jyoti Institute of Physiotherapy, Delhi, India
Background: The World Health Organization has defined preterm birth as delivery of an infant before 37 completed weeks of gestation. Over 500,000 premature infants are born each year in the USA. Twenty to Forty percent experience complex medical problems. Families play a major role in the development of the preterm infants. Prematurity involves not only physical but also social and emotional development. Parents of premature infants provide key interactions needed to support medical and developmental outcomes of these high-risk infants.
Purpose: To understand what parents perceive, they need to be confident and comfortable when interacting with their premature infant prior to leaving the NICU and investigate the factors influencing their interactions with their infant (s).
Methods: This descriptive, exploratory study sought to understand: What parents perceive they need in the NICU to enjoy interacting with their preterm infants? A convenience sample was utilized with inclusion criteria consisting of parents/caregivers who were at least 18 years of age and older with infants born 35 weeks gestation or less and who are currently in the NICU.
To collect the data needed to capture the perceptions of parent's needs of infants in the NICU, was obtained using the open-ended questions of a previously developed (PI) tool, the Parent-Child Interaction (PCI) questionnaire. The PCI questionnaire is a reliable and valid tool to investigate parents perceptions of factors influences parent-child interactions in the NICU and their perceived needs to promote confidence in interacting with their infant.
A qualitative phenomenological approach was taken exploring the five open-ended questions within 21 semi-structured focus groups with a total of 50 participants. This approach was determined to best describe what the participants have in common with the phenomenon of being in the unique culture of the NICU (Creswell, 2013).
Results: Utilizing a thematic analysis with the PI and an objective second reader to attain the trustworthiness of data, eight themes emerged from these intimate focus groups exploring the parent's needs. The emergent themes are:
1. Education face to face;
2. Communication;
3. Parenting;
4. Self Help;
5. Interaction with infant;
6. Roles and Responsibilities;
7. Listen to me; 8. Consistency.
Conclusion(s): Based on the themes, emerging from this study parents feel there is a need for consistent communicating of information by professionals to parents as well as by professionals with each other. Additionally, parents would like to be perceived as the best source of knowing their infant´s needs and would like more contact with their infant to gain confidence in caring for and enjoying their infant. Not surprising, imparting information to gain knowledge of how to care for and interact with their infant was perceived to be most effective when conducted on a one-to-one basis instead of through classes, technology/media, or handouts.
Implications: Understanding parents perceptions specific to their needs and factors influencing parent-infant interactions in the NICU, will aid in informing the programming that seeks to develop better-informed parents, positively influence the parent/infant dyad interaction, and ultimately support the child's overall development.
Keywords: Premature infants, Parents, Needs, Neonatal Intensive Care
Funding acknowledgements: There was no financial assistance with this project.
Purpose: To understand what parents perceive, they need to be confident and comfortable when interacting with their premature infant prior to leaving the NICU and investigate the factors influencing their interactions with their infant (s).
Methods: This descriptive, exploratory study sought to understand: What parents perceive they need in the NICU to enjoy interacting with their preterm infants? A convenience sample was utilized with inclusion criteria consisting of parents/caregivers who were at least 18 years of age and older with infants born 35 weeks gestation or less and who are currently in the NICU.
To collect the data needed to capture the perceptions of parent's needs of infants in the NICU, was obtained using the open-ended questions of a previously developed (PI) tool, the Parent-Child Interaction (PCI) questionnaire. The PCI questionnaire is a reliable and valid tool to investigate parents perceptions of factors influences parent-child interactions in the NICU and their perceived needs to promote confidence in interacting with their infant.
A qualitative phenomenological approach was taken exploring the five open-ended questions within 21 semi-structured focus groups with a total of 50 participants. This approach was determined to best describe what the participants have in common with the phenomenon of being in the unique culture of the NICU (Creswell, 2013).
Results: Utilizing a thematic analysis with the PI and an objective second reader to attain the trustworthiness of data, eight themes emerged from these intimate focus groups exploring the parent's needs. The emergent themes are:
1. Education face to face;
2. Communication;
3. Parenting;
4. Self Help;
5. Interaction with infant;
6. Roles and Responsibilities;
7. Listen to me; 8. Consistency.
Conclusion(s): Based on the themes, emerging from this study parents feel there is a need for consistent communicating of information by professionals to parents as well as by professionals with each other. Additionally, parents would like to be perceived as the best source of knowing their infant´s needs and would like more contact with their infant to gain confidence in caring for and enjoying their infant. Not surprising, imparting information to gain knowledge of how to care for and interact with their infant was perceived to be most effective when conducted on a one-to-one basis instead of through classes, technology/media, or handouts.
Implications: Understanding parents perceptions specific to their needs and factors influencing parent-infant interactions in the NICU, will aid in informing the programming that seeks to develop better-informed parents, positively influence the parent/infant dyad interaction, and ultimately support the child's overall development.
Keywords: Premature infants, Parents, Needs, Neonatal Intensive Care
Funding acknowledgements: There was no financial assistance with this project.
Topic: Paediatrics
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: Seton Hall University, St Luke''s Hospital ,Univ of Pennsylvania Hospital
Ethics committee: Institutional Review Boards
Ethics number: 9733136314
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
