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Parenting in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Qualitative Study
Gizem Kerimoglu Yildiz1, Selda Ates Besirik2
1Department of Pediatric Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, Hatay, Türkiye.
Insights
Parents in neonatal intensive care units experience anxiety and fear regarding infant care and discharge. Understanding these parental feelings is crucial for providing adequate support during this critical period.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) care
- Parental mental health
- Infant development
Background:
- Parental experiences in the NICU are complex and impactful.
- Understanding parental feelings is vital for infant well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe parental feelings and readiness during infant discharge.
- To identify parental needs while an infant is in the NICU.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative study involving 30 in-depth interviews with 15 parents.
- Gadamerian-based research method used for data collection.
- Informed consent obtained from all participants.
Main Results:
- Six key themes emerged: trust, anxiety, bonding, fear of caregiving, readiness, and support needs.
- Parents reported conflicting emotions and fear of harming their infant.
- Readiness for discharge and specific support recommendations were identified.
Conclusions:
- Parents frequently experience anxiety and fear concerning their infant's vulnerability.
- Concerns about caregiving ability and the discharge process add significant stress.
- Addressing parental emotional needs is essential for successful NICU discharge.
Background:
This qualitative study is aimed at describing parental feelings, their readiness during discharge, and their needs while their infant is in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Methods:
The study was conducted with the parents of infants being monitored in a neonatal intensive care unit. A total of 30 in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 parents. This qualitative study was carried out using the Gadamerian-based research method. After parents were informed about the study, written and verbal consent was obtained from them.
Results:
The content analysis of the interview data resulted in six themes: 'sense of trust and cocoon effect, anxiety and conflicting emotions, parent-infant bonding and breastfeeding, fear of providing care, readiness/unreadiness and support needs and recommendations'.
Conclusion:
Parents often feel anxious and fearful about harming their vulnerable infants, with added stress surrounding their ability to provide care and the discharge process.
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