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Needs of parents in a surgical neonatal intensive care unit
Author(s) -
Govindaswamy Priya,
Laing Sharon,
Waters Donna,
Walker Karen,
Spence Kaye,
Badawi Nadia
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1111/jpc.14249
Subject(s) - medicine , neonatal intensive care unit , population , needs assessment , cohort , pediatrics , family medicine , unit (ring theory) , intensive care , nursing , intensive care medicine , social science , mathematics education , mathematics , environmental health , sociology
Aim While there is evidence of parental needs in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), parents of newborns admitted for general surgery are an under‐researched population. This study aimed to identify needs in parents of newborns admitted to the NICU for general surgery and whether health‐care professionals meet these needs. Methods This was a prospective cohort study of 111 parents (57% mothers) of newborns admitted to a surgical NICU for general surgery in Australia from January 2014 to September 2015. Parents completed the Neonatal Family Needs Inventory (NFNI), comprising 56 items in five subscales (Support, Comfort, Information, Proximity, Assurance) at admission and discharge, as well as the Social Desirability Scale (SDS). Data were analysed using parametric and non‐parametric techniques. Results At both admission and discharge, parents rated Assurance ( M = 3.8, standard deviation (SD) = 0.24) needs as the most important, followed by Proximity ( M = 3.6, SD = 0.32) and Information ( M = 3.5, SD = 0.38). Mothers rated Assurance significantly more important than fathers ( P < 0.02). Overall, parents' most important needs were having questions answered honestly ( M = 3.96, SD = 0.19), seeing their infant frequently and knowing about the medical treatment (both M = 3.95, SD = 0.23). The 10 most important needs were met for more than 96% of parents, with no evidence of response bias. Conclusions Reassurance is a priority need for parents in the surgical NICU. Mothers' and fathers' needs may be best met by practices based on family‐centred, individualised care principles.