The lived experience of fathers of preterm infants in the <scp>N</scp>eonatal <scp>I</scp>ntensive <scp>C</scp>are <scp>U</scp>nit: a systematic review of qualitative studies

Provenzi, Livio; Santoro, E.

doi:10.1111/jocn.12828

Cited by 114 publications

(125 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…[15][16][17][18]3,4 Supportive fathers during pregnancy can decrease the risk of a preterm delivery by moderating the effects of maternal chronic stress. 15,19 Furthermore, when fathers are involved during the perinatal period, the risk for an infant with a very low birth weight or born very preterm is decreased. 16 Fathers provide emotional, psychological, and practical help during labour, 3,4 which promotes a more positive childbirth experience for both parents.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Needs of fathers during labour and childbirth: A cross-sectional study

et al. 2017

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Needs of fathers during labour and childbirth: A cross-sectional study

et al. 2017

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“…1 The admission of premature or ill newborns to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) may make the establishment of the parent-child relationship challenging due to parents’ anxiety, despair, medical circumstances, and the NICUs’ physical environment. 1 …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…3,4 Moreover, parents of infants admitted to an NICU have an elevated stress level that has been shown in a systematic review. 1 Various interventions ( e.g . individual support, education, and communication programs) have intended to reduce parental stress and have been evaluated; 5-12 however, the results have been mixed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Participatory Action Research in the Field of Neonatal Intensive Care: Developing An Intervention to Meet the Fathers’ Needs. A Case Study

Noergaard

Johannessen

Fenger‐Grøn

et al. 2016

Journal of Public Health Research

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BackgroundIn neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) health care professionals typically give most of their attention to the infants and the mothers while many fathers feel uncertain and have an unmet need for support and guidance. This paper describes and discusses participatory action research (PAR) as a method to improve NICUs’ service for fathers. Our goal is to develop a father-friendly NICU where both the needs of fathers and mothers are met using an approach based on PAR that involves fathers, mothers, interdisciplinary healthcare professionals, and managers.Design and methodsThis PAR process was carried out from August 2011 to July 2013 and included participant observations, semi-structured interviews, multi sequential interviews, workshops, focus groups, group discussion, and a seminar. The theoretical framework of validity described by Herr and Anderson’s three criteria; process-, democratic-, and catalytic validity were used to discuss this PAR.ResultsTwelve fathers, 11 mothers, 48 health professionals and managers participated in the PAR process. The collaboration ensured the engagement for viable and constructive local changes to be used in designing the concept of the father friendly NICU.ConclusionsThis paper contributed new knowledge of how PAR can be used to ensure that participants engaged in the field are involved in the entire process; consequently, this will ensure that the changes are feasible and sustainable.Significance for public healthThis case study contributed insight into the role and importance of participatory action research (PAR) in clinical practice. By engaging the stakeholders in the process, the culture of the neonatal intensive care unit became open to reflection and action. It was very important to understand the purpose and context of the activities and to use them accordingly to the participants. By using the right activities in the right context, we gained an opportunity to promote participants’ creativity. This required the researchers to be flexible and to be aware of PAR as a time-consuming approach.

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“…Parents of infants born preterm or with a very low birth weight report higher levels of mental health problems, higher levels of stress associated with being a parent, and an increased negative impact on family systems in the early years, compared with parents of infants born full-term (Treyvaud, 2014). Fathers of infants in the NICU have described an emotional roller coaster, feeling unprepared for their infants' birth, and how they need to be reassured of about their partner's well-being before they start to worry about their infant's health status (Provenzi and Santoro, 2015). Parents of children undergoing heart surgery have described how they shift between feelings of sadness and despair and being happy and hopeful, depending on the child's changing condition and the uncertainty levels in a specific situation (Wei et al, 2016).…”

Section: Saliva Cortisolmentioning

confidence: 99%

What about the parents? : Sleep quality, mood, saliva cortisol response and sense of coherence in parents with a child admitted to pediatric care

Angelhoff¹

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Parents experience many stressful situations when their child is ill and needs medical care, irrespective of the child’s age, diagnosis or the severity of the illness. Poor sleep quality and negative mood decrease the parents’ ability to sustain attention and focus, to care for their ill child, and to cope with the challenges they face. The overall aim of this thesis was to evaluate sleep, mood, cortisol response, and sense of coherence (SOC) in parents caring for children in need of medical care, and to identify factors that may influence parents’ sleep. This thesis includes four original studies; two of these are quantitative, prospective, descriptive and comparative studies including parents (n=82) accommodated in six pediatric wards with their ill child, using questionnaires and sleep logs to measure sleep, mood and SOC, and saliva cortisol to measure cortisol response. A follow-up was performed four weeks later at home, after hospital discharge. The other two studies are qualitative, inductive and explorative interview studies, including parents (n=12) staying overnight with their preterm and/or ill infant in three neonatal intensive care units, and parents (n=15) with a child receiving hospital-based home care in two pediatric outpatient clinics. The interviews were analyzed with a phenomenographic method. Being together with one’s family seems beneficial for sleep and may decrease stress. The ability to stay with the child, in the hospital or at home, was highly appreciated by the parents. When caring for a child with illness, parents’ sleep quality was sufficient in the hospital; however, sleep quality improved further (p<0.05) at home after discharge. The parents reported frequent nocturnal awakenings in the hospital caused by the child, medical treatment and hospital staff. Concern and anxiety about the child’s health, and uncertainty about the future were stressors affecting the parents’ sleep and mood negatively. The parents had lower (p=0.01) morning awakening cortisol levels in the pediatric ward compared to at home, and parents accommodated for more than one night had lower (p<0.05) post-awakening cortisol levels compared to parents staying their first night. The findings of this thesis conclude that being together as a family is important for the parents’ sleep. The ability to be accommodated in the hospital and gather the family around the child may have given the parents time for relaxation and recovery, that in turn may lead to a less stressful hospital stay. When it is beneficial for the child, the whole family should be included in the pediatric care. Moreover, pediatric nurses must acknowledge parents’ sleep, in hospital and at home. Medical treatment and care at night should be scheduled and sleep promoted for the parents in order to maintain health and well-being in the family.

The electronic version of the thesis is a corrected version of the printed thesis.

This thesis has also been funded by Barnklinikens 60-årsfond, Filip SchelinsStiftelse, Riksföreningen för barnsjuk...

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The lived experience of fathers of preterm infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: a systematic review of qualitative studies

Abstract: A systematic and deepened understanding of preterms' fathers lived experience in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit would be helpful to inform nursing practice. Specific action priorities are suggested within the frame of family-centred care.

Cited by 114 publications

References 33 publications

Needs of fathers during labour and childbirth: A cross-sectional study

Needs of fathers during labour and childbirth: A cross-sectional study

Participatory Action Research in the Field of Neonatal Intensive Care: Developing An Intervention to Meet the Fathers’ Needs. A Case Study

What about the parents? : Sleep quality, mood, saliva cortisol response and sense of coherence in parents with a child admitted to pediatric care

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