Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 10, 2026
A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting
Published on: January 12, 2018
Neonatal nurses' response to a hypothetical premature birth situation: What if it was my baby?
Janet Green1, Philip Darbyshire2, Anne Adams3
1University of Technology Sydney, Australia.
Insights
Neonatal nurses caring for extremely premature babies (≤24 weeks gestation) face ethical dilemmas. Many believe they would not resuscitate their own baby in such a situation due to concerns about long-term outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Medical ethics
- Nursing research
Background:
- Technological advancements improve survival rates for extremely premature infants (≤24 weeks gestation).
- However, survival is often associated with severe long-term morbidities.
- Neonatal nurses face complex caregiving and ethical challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the ethical dilemmas of neonatal nurses caring for extremely premature infants (≤24 weeks gestation).
- To explore nurses' perspectives on hypothetical situations involving premature delivery and neonatal resuscitation.
- To understand the impact of personal and clinical experiences on nurses' ethical decision-making.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative research approach.
- Data collected via questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with 24 neonatal nurses in New South Wales, Australia.
- Analysis focused on the theme 'imagined futures' and its sub-themes.
Main Results:
- A central theme of 'imagined futures' emerged, encompassing 'choice is important,' 'not subjecting their own baby to treatment,' and 'nurses and outcome predictions.'
- Nurses' past experiences influenced their belief that they would opt against resuscitation for their own extremely premature infant.
- This reflects a deep consideration of the potential long-term quality of life.
Conclusions:
- The 'imagined futures' theme provides insight into nurses' perceptions of life post-neonatal intensive care for extremely premature infants and their families.
- Nurses' experiences shape their views, leading them to believe they would not choose resuscitation for their own baby at ≤24 weeks gestation.
- This highlights the profound ethical considerations and personal reflections involved in neonatal nursing.
Background::
Evolving technology and scientific advancement have increased the chances of survival of the extremely premature baby; however, such survival can be associated with some severe long-term morbidities.
Research Question::
The research investigates the caregiving and ethical dilemmas faced by neonatal nurses when caring for extremely premature babies (defined as ≤24 weeks' gestation). This article explores the issues arising for neonatal nurses when they considered the philosophical question of 'what if it was me and my baby', or what they believed they would do in the hypothetical situation of going into premature labour and delivering an extremely premature baby.
Participants::
Data were collected via a questionnaire to Australian neonatal nurses and semi-structured interviews with 24 neonatal nurses in New South Wales, Australia.
Ethical Considerations::
Relevant ethical approvals have been obtained by the researchers.
Findings::
A qualitative approach was used to analyse the data. The theme 'imagined futures' was generated which comprised three sub-themes: 'choice is important', 'not subjecting their own baby to treatment' and 'nurses and outcome predictions'. The results offer an important and unique understanding into the perceptions of nursing staff who care for extremely premature babies and their family, see them go home and witness their evolving outcomes. The results show that previous clinical and personal experiences led the nurses in the study to choose to have the belief that if in a similar situation, they would choose not to have their own baby resuscitated and subjected to the very treatment that they provide to other babies.
Conclusion::
The theme 'imagined futures' offers an overall understanding of how neonatal nurses imagine what the life of the extremely premature baby and his or her family will be like after discharge from neonatal intensive care. The nurses' past experience has led them to believe that they would not want this life for themselves and their baby, if they were to deliver at 24 weeks' gestation or less.
