Obstacles to Parents’ Interaction with Neonates in Neonatal Intensive Care Units from Parents’ and Nurses’ Points of View

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to identify most important obstacles to proper interaction of parents with their neonates who were hospitalized in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 90 NICU nurses and 400 female and male parents using census and convenience sampling methods. To collect data, in a period of three months, a researcher-made questionnaire was prepared, including factors threatening parents' interaction with their neonates in NICUs. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics including number, percentage and mean scores of responses in SPSS software (version 16). Results: By calculating mean scores of responses, from nurses' points of view, feeling of emotional discomfort due to being away from neonate (3.63) and nurses’ not understanding parents since they have no children (1.42) were most and least important factors, respectively. From mothers' points of view, parental stress due to neonate’s hospitalization (3.47), and the maternity wards being away from NICUs (1.37) were most and least important factors, respectively. Also, most and least important obstacles in perspectives of fathers were parental stress due to neonate’s hospitalization (3.09) and the unwanted neonate, respectively. Conclusion: The results showed that stress and tension of parents were most influencing factor on interaction of neonate-parent in NICUs. Some neonatal and organizational factors were considered less important as barriers to neonate-parent interactions in these wards.