Exploring the needs and coping strategies of New Zealand parents in the neonatal environment

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dc.contributor.authorDodge A
dc.contributor.authorGibson C
dc.contributor.authorWilliams M
dc.contributor.authorRoss K
dc.date.available2022-02-17
dc.date.available2022-01-24
dc.date.issued2022-02-17
dc.description.abstractAim Having an infant admitted to a neonatal care facility can be highly distressing for parents given the fragile state of their child and the often-unfamiliar environment. This study aimed to explore the needs and coping strategies of parents in this setting. Methods An online qualitative survey was used to explore the needs of parents who had a child discharged from a New Zealand neonatal unit in the past 12 months. A total of 394 parents participated in the study (387 mothers, 5 fathers), providing 970 responses across three open-ended questions examining their needs, unmet needs and coping strategies. The study included participants across both neonatal intensive care units and special care baby units, with prematurity (47%) the most common reason for admission. An inductive form of thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Results Four themes were developed that capture the needs and coping strategies expressed by parents in this study: communication and information; physical contact and access to the baby; emotional and non-medical support; and involvement, autonomy and respect. Conclusions The themes developed largely centre around the struggle parents face when confronting the uncertainty of the neonatal environment and the difficulty in establishing their parental role. Parental distress may be reduced through communicating accurate information regularly and providing empathetic understanding, while opportunities for physical contact and involvement may assist in raising parental confidence and scaffolding the journey to independent care of their infant.
dc.description.publication-statusPublished
dc.identifierhttp://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000757138100001&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=c5bb3b2499afac691c2e3c1a83ef6fef
dc.identifier.citationJOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH, 2022
dc.identifier.doi10.1111/jpc.15908
dc.identifier.eissn1440-1754
dc.identifier.elements-id451199
dc.identifier.harvestedMassey_Dark
dc.identifier.issn1034-4810
dc.publisherWiley
dc.relation.isPartOfJOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH
dc.relation.urihttps://doi.org/10.1111/jpc.15908
dc.rights(c) The authors CC-BY
dc.subjectinfant
dc.subjectneeds of parents
dc.subjectneonatal care
dc.subjectneonatal intensive care
dc.subjectneonatology
dc.subject.anzsrc1103 Clinical Sciences
dc.subject.anzsrc1114 Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine
dc.subject.anzsrc1117 Public Health and Health Services
dc.titleExploring the needs and coping strategies of New Zealand parents in the neonatal environment
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.notesNot known
pubs.organisational-group/Massey University
pubs.organisational-group/Massey University/College of Humanities and Social Sciences
pubs.organisational-group/Massey University/College of Humanities and Social Sciences/PVC's Office - College Humanities and Social Services
pubs.organisational-group/Massey University/College of Humanities and Social Sciences/School of Psychology
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