Nurses' perspectives on the close collaboration with parents training program in the NICU

Area of Science:

• Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nursing
• Family-centered care implementation
• Pediatric healthcare training programs

Background:

• Traditional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) care often centers on medical professionals, potentially limiting parental involvement.
• Transitioning to family-centered care models in the NICU is crucial for improving infant and family outcomes.
• Effective training programs are needed to facilitate this shift in nursing practice and attitudes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore nurses' lived experiences with a training program designed to promote family-centered care.
• To understand how this training influenced nurses' care practices within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
• To identify changes in nurse-parent collaboration and parental involvement in infant care.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive qualitative interview study design was employed.
• Twenty-two Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nurses were interviewed post-training.
• Thematic analysis was used to analyze interview data on care practices and training-initiated changes.

Main Results:

• Nurses perceived the training program as a catalyst for positive change towards family-centered care.
• The program fostered an environment supporting increased parental involvement and enhanced nurses' awareness of parental psychosocial needs.
• Nurses' roles evolved from primary caretakers to facilitators, empowering parents in their infant's care.

Conclusions:

• A structured, well-designed training program involving all staff can successfully transition Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) care from professional-centered to family-centered.
• The program demonstrated effectiveness in altering nurses' attitudes and care practices, signifying successful family-centered care implementation.
• This approach is achievable and beneficial for improving the NICU environment for infants and families.