TY - JOUR
T1 - More than information
T2 - A qualitative study of parents' perspectives on neonatal intensive care at the extremes of prematurity
AU - Pepper, Dawn
AU - Rempel, Gwen
AU - Austin, Wendy
AU - Ceci, Christine
AU - Hendson, Leonora
PY - 2012/10
Y1 - 2012/10
N2 - PURPOSE: To describe parental perceptions of decision making concerning their extremely premature newborns who received care in a level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). SUBJECTS: Seven parents of preterm infants who were born at 24 to 26 weeks' gestation at a western Canadian tertiary NICU. DESIGN: Qualitative, interpretive description, semistructured interviews. METHODS: The first author conducted interviews with both parents together or the mother alone. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. RESULTS: Three main themes related to decision making, culture shock, and relationships emerged: (1) decision making before and in the NICU: moving beyond information, (2) culture shock in the NICU: plunging into a strange land, and (3) relationships in the NICU: enduring in a strange land. CONCLUSIONS: Although information and decision making are interconnected and fundamental to parents' experiences of their preterm baby's NICU stay, they also identified the culture and language of the NICU and genuine relationships formed with healthcare professionals as significantly influencing their experiences.
AB - PURPOSE: To describe parental perceptions of decision making concerning their extremely premature newborns who received care in a level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). SUBJECTS: Seven parents of preterm infants who were born at 24 to 26 weeks' gestation at a western Canadian tertiary NICU. DESIGN: Qualitative, interpretive description, semistructured interviews. METHODS: The first author conducted interviews with both parents together or the mother alone. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. RESULTS: Three main themes related to decision making, culture shock, and relationships emerged: (1) decision making before and in the NICU: moving beyond information, (2) culture shock in the NICU: plunging into a strange land, and (3) relationships in the NICU: enduring in a strange land. CONCLUSIONS: Although information and decision making are interconnected and fundamental to parents' experiences of their preterm baby's NICU stay, they also identified the culture and language of the NICU and genuine relationships formed with healthcare professionals as significantly influencing their experiences.
KW - Decision making
KW - Infant
KW - Intensive care units
KW - Interpretive description
KW - Life-changing events
KW - Neonatal
KW - Parental perceptions
KW - Parents
KW - Premature
KW - Qualitative research
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84868611914&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/ANC.0b013e318265b3d5
DO - 10.1097/ANC.0b013e318265b3d5
M3 - Journal Article
C2 - 22964607
AN - SCOPUS:84868611914
SN - 1536-0903
VL - 12
SP - 303
EP - 309
JO - Advances in Neonatal Care
JF - Advances in Neonatal Care
IS - 5
ER -