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Clinical Practice Protocol of Creative Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
11:50

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Published on: January 7, 2020

Experiences of fathers of babies in intensive care

Kathleen Deeney1, Maria Lohan, Jackie Parkes

  • 1School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen's University Belfast. kdeeney01@qub.ac.uk

Paediatric Nursing
|March 10, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Fathers of infants in neonatal intensive care units cope differently than mothers, often facing work disruptions. Research is needed to understand these unique parental experiences during infant critical care.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Intensive Care
  • Parental Mental Health
  • Infant Health

Background:

  • Premature or high-risk infants require intensive care, impacting parental well-being.
  • Existing research predominantly focuses on maternal experiences, neglecting paternal perspectives.
  • Fathers' experiences in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) are under-researched.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review existing literature on fathers' experiences with infants in neonatal intensive care.
  • To identify gaps in research regarding paternal roles and coping mechanisms in NICUs.
  • To inform future studies on fathers' caregiving roles for critically ill newborns.

Main Methods:

  • A literature review was conducted.
  • Seven papers reporting primary research on fathers' experiences were identified.
  • Additional studies including fathers' views were also considered.

Main Results:

  • Fathers exhibit distinct coping strategies compared to mothers.
  • Fathers may experience significant burdens due to work-related absences.
  • Fathers may perceive their role as supportive rather than primary caregiver.

Conclusions:

  • Fathers' unique experiences in neonatal intensive care warrant further investigation.
  • Understanding paternal roles is crucial for comprehensive infant and family-centered care.
  • Support systems should acknowledge and address fathers' specific needs and challenges.

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