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Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Parent needs assessment instruments in neonatal intensive care units: Implications for parent education interventions
Cristina Ciupitu-Plath1, Franziska Tietz2, Jana Herzberg3
1Department of Public Health, Bastyr University, Kenmore, WA, USA.
Insights
Standardized tools effectively assess parental needs in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), enabling targeted support for parents of premature infants. Consistent use of these validated instruments is crucial for improving psychosocial and educational interventions.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Parental mental health
- Psychosocial support
Background:
- Parents of premature infants experience significant distress.
- Psychosocial and educational interventions can alleviate this distress.
- Standardized needs assessment is key to tailoring support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To overview standardized instruments for assessing parental needs in NICUs.
- To discuss the potential of these instruments in facilitating support for parents of premature infants.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature review was conducted.
- Searches were performed across major databases including PubMed, CiNAHL, PsychARTICLES, PsychINFO, and Medline.
- Studies reporting on validated parental needs assessment instruments in the NICU were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Six instruments for assessing parental needs in the NICU were identified from 33 publications.
- The NICU Family Needs Inventory, Critical Care Maternal Needs Inventory, and Nurse Parent Support Tool demonstrated strong psychometric properties and practicality.
- These instruments are particularly relevant for clinical and research applications.
Conclusions:
- Validated instruments for parental needs assessment are available for NICU settings.
- Further research is needed to evaluate the benefits and usability of standardized parental needs assessment in the NICUs.
- Consistent use of validated needs assessment instruments can facilitate targeted interventions for parents.
Objectives:
Psychosocial and educational interventions based on standardized needs assessment can help alleviate distress among parents of premature infants. This study aims to (1) provide an overview of standardized instruments used to assess parental needs in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and (2) discuss their potential to facilitate the provision of appropriate support to parents of premature babies.
Methods:
A systematic literature review was conducted. PubMed, CiNAHL, PsychARTICLES, PsychINFO, and Medline were searched for studies reporting on the use of validated parental needs assessment instruments in the NICU.
Results:
Following the analysis of 33 publications, 6 instruments designed to assess the needs of premature infants' parents were identified. Based on their good psychometric properties and practicality, the NICU Family Needs Inventory, the Critical Care Maternal Needs Inventory, and the Nurse Parent Support Tool were considered particularly relevant for use in clinical and research settings.
Conclusions:
Validated parent needs assessment instruments are available for use in the NICU setting. Further research evaluating the benefits and usability of standardized parental needs assessment in the NICU is needed.
Practice Implications:
Validated needs assessment instruments should be consistently used to facilitate the development of targeted psychosocial and educational interventions for parents in the NICU.
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