Caregiver Presence and Involvement in a Canadian Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: An Observational Cohort Study.
BACKGROUND
Presence in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is a vital step for caregivers initiating involvement, such as skin-to-skin contact, holding or singing/reading to their newborn. Little is known about caregiver presence and involvement in Canadian NICU's context by caregiver type (mother, father, other), and the association between maternal presence and key maternal and newborn characteristics.


PURPOSE
The primary objective was to examine the presence and involvement of family caregivers in the NICU. The secondary objective was to examine the relationship between maternal presence and maternal and newborn characteristics.


DESIGN AND METHODS
A prospective observational cohort study in an open bay setting of an Eastern Canadian NICU. Presence (physically present at the newborn's bedside) and involvement (e.g., skin-to-skin, singing/reading) were tracked daily by families in the NICU until discharge. Demographic information was also collected.


RESULTS
Participants included 142 mothers and their newborns. Mothers were present 8.7 h/day, fathers were present 4.1 h/day, and other caregivers were present 1.8 h/day in the NICU in the first 34 days. Mothers were involved in care activities 50% of the time they were present in the NICU, whereas fathers and other caregivers were spending 20% and 6% of their time respectively. Regression identified maternal age, distance to home, parity, birthweight, and length of stay to be statistically significant variables related to maternal presence.


CONCLUSIONS
There is variation in presence and involvement by caregiver type. Targeted interventions to maintain and increase mothers, fathers and other caregivers' presence and involvement in care throughout their stay in the NICU are recommended.
['Kim|Theresa H M|THM|', 'Campbell-Yeo|Marsha|M|', 'Disher|Tim|T|', 'Dol|Justine|J|', 'Richardson|Brianna|B|', '|||', 'Bishop|Tanya|T|', 'Delahunty-Pike|Alannah|A|', 'Dorling|Jon|J|', 'Glover|Megan|M|', 'Inglis|Darlene|D|', 'Johnson|Teresa|T|', 'Lalanne|Denise|D|', 'Mcmillan|Doug|D|', 'Mcgrath|Patrick|P|', 'Monaghan|Joelle|J|', 'Orovec|Adele|A|', 'Simpson|David C|DC|', 'Skinner|Natasha|N|', 'Wozney|Lori|L|', 'Whitehead|Leah|L|']
D002170:Canada D017028:Caregivers D015331:Cohort Studies D005260:Female D006801:Humans D007231:Infant, Newborn D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal D009035:Mothers D011247:Pregnancy D011446:Prospective Studies
Caregiver presence NICU Caregiver involvement Family integrated care Preterm infants