Measuring Parental Presence in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Area of Science:

• Neonatal care
• Pediatric health outcomes
• Family-centered care

Background:

• Parental presence in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) is increasingly recognized for its potential benefits to infant and parent well-being.
• NICU policies have adapted to facilitate parental involvement, leading to a rise in research on this topic.
• However, the lack of standardized methods for measuring parental presence complicates the interpretation and comparison of study findings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review existing literature on the measurement of parental presence in the NICU.
• To identify the diversity of methods used to quantify parental presence.
• To highlight the need for a standardized approach to improve research and clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review of 29 studies was conducted.
• Twenty-seven distinct methods for quantifying parental presence in the NICU were identified and analyzed.
• Associations between parental presence and infant/parent demographics, engagement, and outcomes were examined.

Main Results:

• A wide array of 27 different methods were used to measure parental presence across the reviewed studies.
• The reviewed studies reported various associations between parental presence and infant/parental factors.
• Significant heterogeneity in measurement approaches was observed, limiting cross-study comparisons.

Conclusions:

• The current lack of standardized measurement for parental presence in the NICU presents a significant challenge.
• Developing a uniform method for assessing parental presence is crucial for advancing research and clinical understanding.
• Standardization will enable more accurate assessments of the impact of parental presence on infant and parent outcomes in the NICU.