Abstract
One major task in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) involves ensuring adequate nutrition and supporting the provision of human milk. The aim of this study was to explore nurses’ experiences of the oral feeding process in the NICU when the infant is born extremely or very preterm. We used a qualitative inductive approach. Nine nurses from three family-centered NICUs were interviewed face-to-face. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using content analysis. Five sub-categories and two generic categories formed the main category: ‘A complex and long-lasting collaboration.’ The nurses wished to contribute to the parents’ understanding of the feeding process and their own role as parents in this process. The nurses’ intention was to guide and support parents to be autonomous in this process. They saw the family as a team in which the preterm infant was the leader whose needs and development directed the feeding and the parents’ actions in this process. Written and verbal communication, seeing all family members as important members of a team and early identification of the most vulnerable families to direct the emotional and practical feeding support accordingly can strengthen the feeding process in the NICU.
Highlights
Nurses working in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) have large and complex clinical roles that involve caring for preterm babies and sick newborns in need of intensive care
The nurses saw the family as a team with all members being involved in the feeding process, which corresponded to what an FC NICU is based on
The preterm infant was described as the leader of the team, as his or her needs and development directed the feeding and the parents being with their child
Summary
Nurses working in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) have large and complex clinical roles that involve caring for preterm babies and sick newborns in need of intensive care. Nurses need specific qualifications to provide time-urgent care for vulnerable infants in high-tech environments [1]. They should provide emotional support to parents who are experiencing mixed feelings of sorrow, uncertainty and happiness [2]. Working in a family-centered (FC) NICU means that parents are present and involved in the care of the infant around the clock [4,5]. Nurses are still responsible for the advanced care of the infant and for providing breastfeeding and lactation support for the mothers of preterm infants; the latter is a delicate task, since the mothers are in such a vulnerable situation [8]
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