Needs and stressors of parents of term and near-term infants in the NICU: A systematic review with best practice guidelines.
Having a sick infant in the NICU can be quite stressful and overwhelming to parents. They require support and may have varied needs. A systematic review of qualitative and quantitative studies from 5 electronic databases (Ovid Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Sociological Abstracts), covering January 2001 - March 2016 identified the needs and stressors of parents of term or near-term Infants in the NICU. Six articles addressed the needs and 14 identified the stressors of parents. Parents' most important need was for accurate and honest information. Needs focused around sensitive infant care and involvement in decision-making. The greatest stressor for parents was alteration to the parental role, followed by infant appearance. Fathers and parents of infants undergoing surgery are an under-researched population. Based on the evidence, enhancing staff-parent communication would better meet parental needs and reduce stressors. Our key recommendations highlight the need for family-centred and individualised care practices in the NICU.
['Govindaswamy|P|P|', 'Laing|S|S|', 'Waters|D|D|', 'Walker|K|K|', 'Spence|K|K|', 'Badawi|N|N|']
D000328:Adult D005220:Fathers D005260:Female D006801:Humans D007231:Infant, Newborn D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal D008297:Male D010290:Parents D018802:Patient-Centered Care D010379:Peer Group D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic D047928:Premature Birth
Near-term infants Parental needs Neonatal intensive care Neonatal surgery Parental stressors Term infants