Abstract
ObjectivesTo determine the relationship between the emergence of COVID-19 and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) family presence as well as how NICU design affects these changes.Study designA cross-sectional survey from April 21 to 30, 2020. We queried sites regarding NICU demographics, NICU restrictions on parental presence, and changes in ancillary staff availability.ResultsGlobally, 277 facilities responded to the survey. NICU policies preserving 24/7 parental presence decreased (83–53%, p < 0.001) and of preserving full parental participation in rounds fell (71–32%, p < 0.001). Single-family room design NICUs best preserved 24/7 parental presence after the emergence of COVID-19 (single-family room 65%, hybrid-design 57%, open bay design 45%, p = 0.018). In all, 120 (43%) NICUs reported reductions in therapy services, lactation medicine, and/or social work support.ConclusionsHospital restrictions have significantly limited parental presence for NICU admitted infants, although single-family room design may attenuate this effect.
Highlights
8.4% of United States newborns are admitted into neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) every year [1]
Respondents most frequently learned of the survey through Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and MEDNAX email requests (83%) and responding NICUs were largely in the United States (91%) with Texas, California, and Florida NICUs comprising 33% of the total cohort (Table 1, Fig. 1a)
Hospital and NICU entry policies began to change in the first week of January with a rapid increase in hospitals adopting policy changes throughout March, the majority prior to the issuance of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance (Fig. 2)
Summary
8.4% of United States newborns are admitted into neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) every year [1]. FL, USA 3 Baptist Children’s Hospital, Miami, FL, USA 4 Beacon Children’s Hospital, South Bend, IN, USA 5 Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA 6 Baylor College of Medicine, San Antonio, TX, USA 7 Pediatrix Medical Group of San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA its parents, both mother and father, has been shown to have physiological and psychological benefits to both the newborn and it’s parents [2] This contact, often referred to as skin-to-skin or kangaroo care, provides many familiar sensory inputs such as the mother’s voice, taste, and smell that cannot be replicated by others and improves physiological stability to the preterm infant [3]. The introduction of family-centered care and allowing 24-h parental presence, especially in the setting of single-family rooms, may help increase parental presence, ameliorate some of these effects [5] and improve developmental outcomes [6]
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