A Feasibility Study to Test the NICU Paternal Needs Inventory.

Area of Science:

• Neonatal care
• Paternal psychology
• Healthcare needs assessment

Background:

• Limited research exists on fathers' needs during a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stay.
• Existing tools do not capture fathers' unique coping mechanisms and specific needs.
• A validated instrument is crucial for developing targeted nursing interventions for fathers in the NICU.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a feasibility study of the NICU Paternal Needs Inventory (NPNI).
• To identify the physical, emotional, and psychological needs of fathers with infants in the NICU.
• To lay the groundwork for large-scale pilot testing of the NPNI.

Main Methods:

• Employed a nonexperimental, quantitative, and descriptive research design.
• Recruited fathers from a level IV NICU.
• Administered an online survey including demographic questions and the NPNI.

Main Results:

• Fathers universally prioritized knowing infant progress, care instructions, flexible visitation, and assurance of optimal infant care.
• Responses indicated significant individual variation in fathers' needs.
• The NPNI demonstrated feasibility in measuring fathers' needs.

Conclusions:

• The NPNI is a feasible tool for assessing fathers' unique and individual needs in the NICU.
• Individualized interventions can be developed by nurses using NPNI data.
• Further research is required to establish the reliability and validity of the NPNI through larger studies.