Experience of Mothers with Preterm Newborns in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Nigist Elleni Mohammed Memorial Comprehensive Specialized Hospital in Hossana: A Phenomenological Study

Abstract

Background: The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is important to save the lives of preterm newborn babies; however, mothers are challenged by several stressful conditions during their stay. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the experiences of mothers with preterm newborns in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Nigist Elleni Mohammed Memorial Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Hossana, Central Ethiopia. Methods: A descriptive-phenomenological study was conducted. The data were collected by conducting an in-depth interview and field notes with 13 purposefully selected mothers. The data were collected from September 2023 to February 2024. An inductive thematic analysis approach and Atlas Ti8 Software Version 8.4 were used to code the data. Trustworthiness was ensured by implementing the Guba criteria of credibility, transferability, dependability, and conformability. Results: A study identified five main themes, 10 sub-themes, and 90 codes. These include the emotional experiences of mothers, mothers’ expectations, the needs of healthcare professionals, health facility-related factors, and perceived incompetence in taking care of preterm infants. Conclusion: Mothers with preterm babies in the NICU experienced negative emotions. This is demonstrated by the mothers’ responses on shortage of medicine, inadequate laboratory tests, lack of bathroom, inconvenient toilet, and insufficient water. Lack of confidence to care for their infants, despite receiving several avenues of support from nursing staff was raised as an important public health problem. The healthcare providers deliver adequate support to help mothers cope with their infants' hospitalization and improve their confidence to take care of their infants.