Effects of liberalising visiting policy and staff education on parental visiting duration in the neonatal unit

Area of Science:

• Neonatal care
• Pediatrics
• Parental engagement

Background:

• Parental presence is crucial for infant well-being in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).
• The impact of neonatal unit access policies on parental visiting duration remains understudied.
• Understanding factors influencing parental visiting duration is key for optimizing family-centered care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of different neonatal unit access hour policies on parental visiting duration.
• To assess the influence of parental and staff education on parental visiting duration in a neonatal unit.

Main Methods:

• A prospective longitudinal cohort study was conducted in a level III neonatal unit from October 2020 to May 2022.
• Three cohorts were compared: baseline (restricted hours), cohort 1 (liberalized hours), and cohort 2 (post-education program).
• Mean daily parental visiting duration was the primary outcome measure.

Main Results:

• Liberalizing access hours did not significantly increase parental visiting duration.
• Maternal visiting duration significantly increased in the education cohort (258 min/day) compared to baseline (172 min/day) and cohort 1 (195 min/day) (p < 0.001).
• Paternal visiting duration showed no significant change across the study cohorts.

Conclusions:

• Neonatal unit access hour liberalization alone does not enhance parental visiting duration.
• Parental and staff education programs can significantly improve maternal visiting duration in the NICU.
• Targeted educational interventions are more effective than policy changes in increasing maternal presence.