Abstract
BackgroundFamily-Centred Care (FCC) is recognized as an important component of all paediatric care, including neonatal care, although practical clinical guidelines to support this care model are still needed in Italy. The characteristics and services for families in Italian NICUs show a lack of organization and participation.MethodsThe first aim was to compare satisfaction and stress levels in two groups of parents: an FCC group and a non-FCC group (NFCC). The second aim was to evaluate body weight gain in the newborns enrolled. This non-randomized, prospective cohort pilot study was conducted in a single level III NICU at a hospital in Naples, Italy. A cohort of newborns in the NICU, with their parents were enrolled between March 2014 and April 2015 and they were divided into two groups: the FCC group (enrolled between October 2014 and April 2015) remained in the NICU for 8 h a day with FCC model; the NFCC group (enrolled between March 2014 and September 2014) was granted access to the NICU for only 1 hour per day. At discharge, both parent groups completed the Parental Stressor Scale (PSS)-NICU and a questionnaire to assess their satisfaction. In addition, we compared scores from the mothers and fathers within and between groups and the body weights of the newborns in the two groups at 60 days.ResultsParents participating in the FCC group were more satisfied and less stressed than those in the NFCC group. Infants in the FCC group also showed increased body weight after 60 days of hospital stay.ConclusionsDespite our small population, we confirm that routine adoption of a procedure designed to apply a FCC model can contribute to improving satisfaction and distress among preterm infants’ parents. Future multi-centre, randomized, controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings.
Highlights
Family-Centred Care (FCC) is recognized as an important component of all paediatric care, including neonatal care, practical clinical guidelines to support this care model are still needed in Italy
A total of 60 parents and 30 newborns in the FCC group and 66 parents and 33 newborns in the nonFCC group (NFCC) group were approached for recruitment
The FCC group was composed of 24 mothers and 24 fathers and their 24 children, and the remaining 24 mothers and 24 fathers and their 24 children composed the NFCC group
Summary
Family-Centred Care (FCC) is recognized as an important component of all paediatric care, including neonatal care, practical clinical guidelines to support this care model are still needed in Italy. The family is the infant’s primary coregulator in order to reduce infant stress, and the caregivers must encourage greater parental involvement [7] Based on this strategy, many programmes have been developed, such as kangaroo care, skin-to-skin care, and family-centred care (FCC) [2]. No study addressing surgical neonatal diseases has applied FCC to the NICU context It is at the discretion of individual intensive care units to promote FCC practices without a strong supporting evidence base
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