Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 24, 2025
Involving Individuals with Developmental Language Disorder and Their Parents/Carers in Research Priority Setting
Published on: June 6, 2020
Fathers' Experiences in Alberta Family Integrated Care: A Qualitative Study
Amy Shafey1, Karen Benzies, Reshma Amin
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada (Dr Shafey); Departments of Pediatrics and Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada (Dr Benzies); Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada (Drs Amin and Shah); and Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada (Dr Stelfox).
Background:
The Family Integrated Care (FICare) program adapted for Alberta (AB) level II neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) aims to increase parental involvement and support during their NICU stay. The experience of fathers of preterm infants in a FICare program is currently unknown.
Purpose:
To describe the experiences of fathers of preterm infants born at 320/7 to 346/7 weeks' gestational age with AB FICare.
Methods:
A qualitative substudy of a multicenter prospective cluster randomized controlled trial of FICare in 10 level II NICUs across Alberta. Fathers of preterm infants participated in a semistructured interview after discharge when their infants were at least 2 months' corrected gestational age. Journal entries written by fathers while in the NICU from the FICare intervention sites were also collected. Data were analyzed thematically and the interview and journal data were triangulated.
Findings:
Thirteen fathers (9 from the FICare intervention and 4 from standard care) participated in semistructured interviews and there were 24 journals collected. Seven themes emerged: fear of the unknown, mental preparation, identifying the father's role, parenting with supervision, effective communication, postneonatal intensive care transition, and family life. Fathers enrolled in AB FICare attributed their level of confidence and positive neonatal intensive care experience that continued postdischarge to the care and attention they received during hospitalization.
Conclusion:
AB FICare may improve experiences for fathers of preterm infants in the NICU with continuation postdischarge. Future research should include designing and evaluating father-specific NICU programs.
More Related Videos
07:56Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure
Published on: September 19, 2019
08:08Author Spotlight: Capturing Infant-Caregiver Interactions Through Synchronized Multimodal Data Collection
Published on: May 31, 2024
Related Concept Videos
01:18Interdisciplinary Care: The Health Care Team-II
Physical Therapist
A physical therapist (PT) aims to restore function or prevent additional impairment in a patient following an injury or disease. Massage, heat, cold, water, sonar waves, exercises, and electrical stimulation are some treatments used by PTs to treat...
01:21Interdisciplinary Care: The Health Care Team-I
Physicians
The physician's primary responsibility is to diagnose illness and direct the medical or surgical treatment of the condition. The authority to admit patients to a healthcare agency or institution and practice care within that setting is granted to physicians by the healthcare agency or institution...
00:55Parental Care
01:30Specialized Care Centers and Settings-I
Daycare centers
They provide several functions. Some facilities care for healthy newborns and children whose parents work, while others are medically focused and care for...
01:30Specialized Care Centers and Settings-II
Rural health centers are specialized care facilities in remote locations with very few medical personnel. The primary care providers who run the centers are mostly Registered Nurse Practitioners. Here, emergency treatment is provided to critically ill or injured patients before they are transferred to the closest hospital. Fortunately, due to advancement in technology, many rural healthcare facilities and professionals have easy access to diagnostic and treatment...
01:30Family Therapy
Strategic Family Therapy
Strategic family therapy emphasizes resolving communication barriers and improving problem-solving abilities...