Expectations of Mothers with Infants in The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for Healing Care Processes: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Purpose: The study aimed to describe the expectations of mothers whose infants were in the neonatal intensive care unit regarding the healing care processes. Material and Methods: This study is descriptive qualitative research conducted with mothers whose infants were in a private hospital's neonatal intensive care unit. Data were collected between October and November 2022 by using purposive sampling method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 mothers via an audio recorder. The inductive thematic analysis method was used. Results: The analysis identified three main categories and seven sub-themes: "humanistic healing care behaviors, healing physical environment and supports." In the theme of humanistic healing care behaviors, mothers stated that open and honest information sharing was necessary; in the healing care environment, the organization of the neonatal intensive care unit and noise control were necessary. The support theme mentioned the effect of family and home health personnel support on healing processes. The themes were created based on Watson's human caring theory. Conclusion: The analysis identified three main categories and seven sub-themes: "humanistic healing care behaviors, healing physical environment and supports." In the theme of humanistic healing care behaviors, mothers stated that open and honest information sharing was necessary; in the healing care environment, the organization of the neonatal intensive care unit and noise control were necessary. The support theme mentioned the effect of family and home health personnel support on healing processes. The themes were created based on Watson's human caring theory.

Keywords

• Infant
• Mothers
• Nursing.

References

1. Givrad S, Hartzell G, Scala M. Promoting infant mental health in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU): A review of nurturing factors and interventions for NICU infant-parent relationships. Early Hum Dev 2021;154:105281.
2. Ong SL, Abdullah KL, Danaee M, Soh KL, Soh KG, Japar S. Stress and anxiety among mothers of premature infants in a Malaysian neonatal intensive care unit. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology 2019;37(2):193-205.
3. Abuidhail J, Al-Motlaq M, Mrayan L, Salameh T. The lived experience of Jordanian parents in a neonatal intensive care unit: A phenomenological study. Journal of Nursing Research 2017;25(2):156-62.
4. Ayvaz E, Açıkgöz A. Nitel bir çalışma: Yenidoğan yoğun bakım ünitesinde tedavi gören bebeklerin ailelerinin görüş ve beklentilerinin belirlenmesi. Osmangazi Tıp Dergisi 2018;41(3):271-78.
5. Russell G, Sawyer A, Rabe H, Bliss JA, Gyte G, Duley L. Parents’ views on care of their very premature babies in neonatal intensive care units: A qualitative study. BMC Pediatric 2014;14(230):1-10.
6. Gilstrap CM. Organizational sensegiving in family-centered care: How NICU nurses help families make sense of the NICU experience. Health Communication 2021;36(13):1623-1633.
7. Watson J. Nursing: The philosophy and science of caring (revised edition). Caring in nursing classics: An essential resource. Colorado: Springer Publishing Company;2012. p. 243-264.
8. Watson J, Woodward T. (2020). Jean Watson's theory of human caring. New York:SAGE Publications Limited; 2020.

9. Gürcan M, Atay Turan S. Examining the expectations of healing care environment of hospitalized children with cancer based on Watson's theory of human caring. Journal of Advanced Nursing 2021;77(8):3472-3482.
10. Nasab SN, Azeri ARK, Mirbazel S. Effective environmental factors for reducing children's fear in children's hospital: Using parent's attitudes. ICONARP International Journal of Architecture and Planning 2020;8(1):01–19.
11. Kim AR. Addressing the needs of mothers with infants in the neonatal intensive care unit: A qualitative secondary analysis. Asian Nursing Research 2020;14(5):327-337.
12. Lorié ES, Willem-jan WW, van Veenendaal NR, van Kempen AA., Labrie NH. Parents’ needs and perceived gaps in communication with healthcare professionals in the neonatal (intensive) care unit: A qualitative interview study. Patient Education and Counseling 2021;104(7):1518-1525.
13. McDonald R, Moloney W. Improving the Implementation of Family-Centered Care Within the Neonatal Care Unit: Empowering Parents to Participate in Infant Care. The Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing 2023;37(3):242-251.
14. Oude Maatman SM, Bohlin K, Lilliesköld S, et al. Factors influencing implementation of family-centered care in a neonatal intensive care unit. Frontiers in Pediatrics 2020;8:222.
15. Morse JM. Data were saturated. Qualitative Health Research 2015;25(5):587–588.
16. Braun V, Clarke V. Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology 2006;3:77–101.
17. Squires A, Dorsen C. Qualitative research in nursing and health professions regulation. Journal of Nursing Regulation 2018;9(3):15–26.
18. Al-Maharma DY, Safadi RR, Durham R, Halasa SN, Nassar OS. Mothers’ and Midwives’ and Nurses’ Perception of Caring Behaviors During Childbirth: A Comparative Study. SAGE Open 2021;11(2):1-9. Lester BM, Salisbury AL, Hawes K, et al. 18-month follow-up of infants cared for in a single-family room neonatal intensive care unit. The Journal of Pediatrics, 2016;177:84-89.
19. Vohr B, McGowan E, McKinley L, et al. Differential effects of the single-family room neonatal intensive care unit on 18-to 24-month Bayley scores of preterm infants. The Journal of Pediatrics 2017;185:42-48.
20. van Veenendaal NR, Heideman WH, Limpens J, et al. Hospitalising preterm infants in single family rooms versus open bay units: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health 2019;3(3):147-157.
21. Feeley N, Robins S, Genest C, Stremler R, Zelkowitz P, Charbonneau L. A comparative study of mothers of infants hospitalized in an open ward neonatal intensive care unit and a combined pod and single-family room design. BMC pediatrics 2020;20(1):1-9.
22. Wang LL, Ma JJ, Meng HH, Zhou J. Mothers’ experiences of neonatal intensive care: A systematic review and implications for clinical practice. World Journal of Clinical Cases 2021;9(24):7062.
23. Heidari H, Hasanpour M Fooladi M. Stress management among parents of neonates hospitalized in NICU: a qualitative study. Journal of Caring Sciences 2017;6(1):29.
24. Obeidat H, Callister L. The lived experience of Jordanian mothers with a preterm infant in the neonatal intensive care unit. Journal of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine 2011; 4:137-145.
25. Heo YJ, Oh WO. The effectiveness of a parent participation improvement program for parents on partnership, attachment infant growth in a neonatal intensive care unit: A randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 2019;95:19-27.
26. Labrie NH, van Veenendaal NR, Ludolph RA, Ket JC, van der Schoor SR., van Kempen AA. Effects of parent-provider communication during infant hospitalization in the NICU on parents: A systematic review with meta-synthesis and narrative synthesis. Patient Education and Counseling 2021;104(7):1526-1552.