Ghana Health Service, Madina Polyclinic, Accra, Ghana.
Department of Public Health Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
BMC Pediatr. 2024 Sep 16;24(1):586. doi: 10.1186/s12887-024-05050-0.
Preterm birth is a process that fundamentally alters parental or caregiver roles, particularly in the early weeks of childbirth. Caregiver experiences can be distressing due to struggles with an unfamiliar and potentially threatening environment of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). These experiences can affect the development of parenting or caregiving roles to a greater extent. Supporting caregivers of preterm infants through education and information sharing can significantly improve neonatal outcomes. This study sought to explore the experiences of caregivers with hospitalized preterm infants regarding the education and information they received from healthcare workers on the care of preterm infants.
An exploratory descriptive qualitative study that explored caregivers' experiences with the management of preterm infants hospitalized at the Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of a tertiary level facility with an annual delivery of almost 7500 and a bed capacity of 26. The study utilized a deductive approach and a purposive sampling technique to recruit 16 caregivers who participated in an in-depth interview using a piloted semi-structured interview guide. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis.
The study identified three major themes, which were (1) preterm infant feeding and keeping infants warm, (2) routine procedures and activities at the NICU, and (3) preparation towards homecare after discharge. Seven (7) sub-themes were generated. Caregivers were satisfied with the education and information they received on infant feeding and keeping the infant ward. They also had adequate education that prepared them for home care of the preterm infant. Caregivers did not receive timely information and education on the health status of their infants and the care processes of the NICU. They felt they were left out as they were not involved in decision-making. Regarding the care of the preterm infant. The inadequate flow of information and use of medical terminologies were a great source of worry and frustration for participants. The study showed that although the NICU staff were willing to offer health education to caregivers, information giving and education were not structured and hence did not address all the needs of the caregivers.
Healthcare providers caring for preterm infants include caregiver education in their routine NICU activities and procedures. These processes start from the period of admission till discharge. Their education sessions primarily focus on breastfeeding, keeping the infant warm and adequate preparation of caregivers for preterm infant home care. This notwithstanding there are gaps in caregiver education and information on routine procedures in the NICU as well as information on the health needs of the infant. Participants are not fully involved in the decision-making processes and the use of medical terminologies compound caregivers' frustrations and anxieties. It is important to develop structured educational programs tailored to address the information needs faced by caregivers to ensure optimal health outcomes for their preterm infants.
早产是一个根本性地改变父母或照顾者角色的过程，尤其是在孩子出生的最初几周。由于新生儿重症监护病房（NICU）中不熟悉且潜在威胁的环境，照顾者的体验可能会令人痛苦。这些体验可能会在更大程度上影响父母或照顾者角色的发展。通过教育和信息共享来支持早产儿的照顾者，可以显著改善新生儿的结局。本研究旨在探讨住院早产儿的照顾者在早产儿护理方面接受医护人员教育和信息的体验。
这是一项探索性描述性定性研究，探讨了照顾者在三级设施的三级新生儿重症监护病房（NICU）管理住院早产儿的体验，该设施每年分娩量近 7500 例，床位容量为 26 张。该研究采用演绎法和目的抽样技术招募了 16 名照顾者，他们使用经过预试验的半结构化访谈指南进行了深入访谈。访谈进行了录音、转录，并使用主题分析进行了分析。
该研究确定了三个主要主题，分别是（1）早产儿喂养和保暖，（2）NICU 的常规程序和活动，以及（3）出院后家庭护理的准备。产生了七个（7）个次主题。照顾者对他们在婴儿喂养和保持婴儿病房方面接受的教育和信息感到满意。他们也接受了充分的教育，为他们在家照顾早产儿做好了准备。照顾者没有及时获得关于婴儿健康状况和 NICU 护理过程的信息和教育。他们觉得自己被排除在外，因为他们没有参与决策。关于早产儿的护理，信息不畅和使用医学术语是参与者担忧和沮丧的主要来源。研究表明，尽管 NICU 工作人员愿意向照顾者提供健康教育，但信息提供和教育没有结构化，因此没有满足照顾者的所有需求。
照顾早产儿的医疗保健提供者将照顾者教育纳入其常规 NICU 活动和程序中。这些过程从入院开始，一直持续到出院。他们的教育课程主要侧重于母乳喂养、保暖以及为照顾者充分准备早产儿的家庭护理。尽管如此，NICU 常规程序以及婴儿健康需求方面的照顾者教育和信息仍然存在差距。参与者没有充分参与决策过程，使用医学术语加剧了照顾者的挫败感和焦虑感。制定针对照顾者面临的信息需求的结构化教育计划非常重要，以确保他们的早产儿获得最佳健康结果。
