Family-Centered care in the NICU: an integrative literature review

This paper aims to review and summarize the existing research findings on Family-Centered Care (FCC) and Family-Integrated Care (FICare) in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs), evaluate their impacts on infants and their families, explore the facilitators and barriers during implementation, and discuss the applicability of these care models.

We formulated strict inclusion and exclusion criteria for literature search and screening. Eligible studies were selected and collated in accordance with these criteria. Meanwhile, the measurement tools and research methods applied in the included literature were systematically sorted out, and a complete research framework was established.

Literature was initially retrieved through databases and supplemented by snowball sampling. After removing duplicates, the remaining literature was screened by title and abstract, followed by full-text evaluation. A total of 33 methodological studies were finally included for analysis, covering randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, qualitative studies and other research types.

FCC takes the family as the core and builds a collaborative partnership between healthcare providers and families. Family-Integrated Care has formed a more standardized implementation framework. Research evidence shows that FCC and FICare can accelerate infants' clinical growth rate, shorten hospital length of stay and improve breastfeeding rate, while reducing parental stress and effectively alleviating parental mental health problems. This review further identified the core facilitators for the implementation of these care models and summarized the major implementation barriers. Relevant studies confirm that the models have good applicability in countries such as China and India, although family financial burden affects their long-term implementation.

FCC and FICare can significantly improve the clinical and developmental outcomes of NICU infants, enhance the efficiency of infant recovery and the mental health of parents. The promotion of this model requires strengthened training for medical staff, optimized diagnosis and treatment environments, as well as relevant adjustments based on regional culture and economic levels. Despite certain implementation challenges, they remain high-quality care models that meet the holistic needs of neonates and their families. In the future, digital technology will be used to explore their impact on long-term neurodevelopment of neonates, and a standardized evaluation system will be established to facilitate clinical application.