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Enhancement of Family-Centred Care Is Associated with a Reduction in Postmenstrual Age at Discharge in Preterm

Rahel Schuler1, Carola Eiben1, Markus Waitz1

  • 1Department of General Pediatrics and Neonatology, Justus-Liebig-University, Feulgenstrasse 12, D-35392 Giessen, Germany.

Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|November 27, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Enhanced family-centered care enables earlier discharge for preterm infants without morbidities. This approach, involving parents in care, leads to earlier postmenstrual age at discharge and high parental satisfaction.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Pediatric Care
  • Family-Centered Medicine

Background:

  • Prolonged hospitalization is a risk factor for adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants.
  • Family-centered care strategies, including parental training and involvement, can reduce hospital stay duration.
  • An enhanced stepwise family-centered care program was implemented to address these issues.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the impact of an enhanced family-centered care program on postmenstrual age at discharge for preterm infants.
  • To evaluate parental satisfaction with the implemented care program and discharge timing.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective, single-center longitudinal cohort study was conducted in a German level III neonatal unit.
  • Data from 169 infants and their caregivers across five 6-month cohorts (1 baseline, 4 intervention) were analyzed.
  • Changes in postmenstrual age at discharge, discharge practices, and parental satisfaction were assessed.

Main Results:

  • While overall mean postmenstrual age at discharge did not change, it significantly decreased in infants without neonatal morbidities (37.2 to 36.1 weeks).
  • Rates of discharge with tube feeding and home monitoring increased substantially (2.4% to 74.1% and 9.8% to 74.1%, respectively).
  • Parental satisfaction with discharge timing showed a non-significant increase (75.8% to 95.7%).

Conclusions:

  • Enhanced family-centered care facilitates earlier discharge of preterm infants, particularly those without morbidities.
  • This approach is feasible and well-accepted by parents, indicating its potential for improving care transitions.
  • The findings support the integration of comprehensive family-centered care models in neonatal units.
Abstract

Keywords:
early dischargefamily-centred carehome caffeine therapyhome monitoringhome tube feedingparental satisfaction

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