Clinical StudiesParental Evaluation of a Tour of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit During a High-Risk Pregnancy
Section snippets
Literature Review
The reactions of parents to a tour of the NICU during a high-risk pregnancy have not been investigated systematically. However, in one article, the author described the evaluation of an anticipatory support program for high-risk parents that included a prenatal tour of the NICU (Montgomery, 1989). Parents who toured the NICU reported that it helped them to understand what to expect, and they recommended such a tour to other parents.
Despite the lack of research, a prenatal tour of the NICU for
Design
Naturalistic inquiry was the qualitative approach used in this study. The focus of naturalistic inquiry is on understanding the subjects’ realities, which are the meanings individuals give to experiences to make sense of them (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). In contrast to more controlled studies, the design is naturalistic and emergent. Although a broad plan for the design is outlined at the beginning of the study, the design changes, based on the investigator’s insights during data collection and
Results
Seventeen interviews were conducted: Six parents completed only the first interview, four parents completed the first and second interviews, and three parents completed one interview after the neonate was born. Seven of the first interviews were conducted within 1 week after the tour, and three were conducted either 11 or 12 days after the tour. The second interview was conducted between 2 and 7 weeks after the neonate’s birth; only one neonate was still in the NICU at the time of the second
Discussion
The data from this study support the findings of Montgomery (1989). Specifically, parents who experience a high-risk pregnancy benefit from a tour of the NICU and recommend the tour to other parents. The findings from this study also provide an initial understanding of tour characteristics that parents perceive as beneficial.
In this study, parents reported that although the tour familiarized them with the NICU and the type of care that their newborn would receive, it did not prepare them
Implications for Practice and Research
Although this study represents a small sample of parents, it provides general guidelines. The findings indicate that parents who are diagnosed with a high-risk pregnancy should be offered a tour of the NICU. Health care providers who care for parents during a high-risk pregnancy should familiarize themselves with the NICU so that they can support parents and encourage them to participate in a tour.
The tour should be scheduled at a convenient time, enabling a support person to accompany the
Acknowledgment
This study was funded by a grant from the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN). It received an honorable mention award at AWHONN’s 1995 Convention in Nashville, Tennessee.
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Cited by (19)
Serious Communication in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Evidence for Strategies and Training
2023, Principles of Neonatology‘Expert advice’ for developing decision support: A qualitative study of women who have experienced periviable birth
2021, Patient Education and CounselingCitation Excerpt :The literature on periviable counseling is very limited, particularly how providers counsel families regarding the nature of resuscitation [7], the NICU stay, and life after the NICU. However, it has been suggested that parents of high-risk pregnancies tour the NICU prior to delivery to become familiar with the staff and environment and understand their role in the NICU [13]. Because families are often not prepared for a threatened periviable delivery, it has been argued that parents should not be burdened with the responsibility of resuscitation decision-making [14,15].
Prenatal and Neonatal Palliative Care
2011, Textbook of Interdisciplinary Pediatric Palliative CareInformation needs of parents of children admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit. A review of the literature (1990-2008)
2009, Patient Education and CounselingLife support decisions for extremely premature infants: Report of a pilot study
2005, Journal of Pediatric NursingSupporting families of infants with congenital heart disease
2002, Newborn and Infant Nursing Reviews