Communication Difficulties Faced by Mothers of Neonates in Selected Neonatal Care Units

Introduction For any mother, a child is very precious. The number of preterm babies, low-birth-weight babies weighing less than 2 kg, and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) admissions is increasing day by day. It is a very stressful situation for the mother. Mothers face many difficulties while their baby is in the NICU, especially in communicating with health workers and getting answers to their concerns about their child's condition. Methodology A quantitative approach with a descriptive design was used to conduct the study. A nonprobability purposive sampling technique was used to select the samples. Mothers whose neonates were admitted for a minimum of eight days were selected. The data collection tool had two sections: demographic variables and a scale for assessing the communication difficulties faced by the mothers, using a three-point Likert scale. Reliability of the tool was established using the split-half method. Frequency and percentage were calculated to assess the difficulties. Result The analysis revealed various aspects of communication difficulties at different levels. While the majority (48.75%) stated that explanations about special treatment were given before it was administered to the child, 28.75% said it was provided only sometimes. However, they were satisfied with the childcare, as the staff encouraged them to participate in their child's care. Regarding the tone of language, 25% stated that it was not appropriate. Mothers verbalized that the language used was simple to understand, and 66.25% said the information given was never confusing. Participants were happy with the visiting time, and 68.75% reported that sometimes instructions were given at an inappropriate time. Conclusion The study concluded that mothers faced difficulties due to the staff's approach, the explanations about their child's condition, and the counseling provided to the parents. Participants were somewhat afraid that expressing grievances might negatively affect their child's care. The study highlighted the need to improve professional practices, which can be achieved through in-service education.