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Updated: Nov 9, 2025

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.
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.
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