Maternal stress and perceived nurse support among mothers of premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit of a tertiary hospital in Qatar

Abstract

PurposeThis study determined the maternal stress and perceived nurse support among mothers of premature infants in a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Design and MethodsThis descriptive correlational study utilized two previously validated tools: Parental Stress Scales: NICU (PSS:NICU) and Nurse Parent Support Tool (NPST). The said tools were also translated to Arabic since the setting is in Qatar and majority of the respondents are Arabic speakers. ResultsData gathered from 71 mothers (n = 71) who participated in the study showed that regardless of nationality, having a premature infant in the NICU is considered a stressful experience (M = 2.41, SD = 1.03). Both parental role alteration (M = 3.21, SD = 1.52) and instrumental support received the highest mean for subscales in maternal stress, and nurse support, respectively. Overall, mothers felt supported most of the time (M = 3.67, SD = 1.32), especially whenever they see that nurses provide direct nursing care and show concern to the preterm infants (M = 3.85, SD = 1.48). The study provided a significant positive correlation between overall perceived nurse support and parental role alteration (r = 0.39, p > 0.05). Similarly, the relationship between parental role alteration and instrumental support was significantly positive (r = .261, p > 0.05). Practice implicationsThe fragility of preterm infants was not the primary source of maternal stress in the NICU. The inability to provide intensive or specialized care, as that by the NICU nurses, was perceived as the most stressful. This study revealed that providing quality nursing care in NICU should be provided to both the infants and their mothers. NICU nurses are encouraged to provide care to mothers by encouraging and assisting in parenting roles according to the preterm infants' needed care. Involving the mothers in the care plans can provide better healthcare outcomes for both preterm infants and their mothers.