Parents' experiences of family-centered care in the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU)

Abstract

This study explores parents' experiences of their participation and involvement in the care of their newborn in the local Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU). The literature review discusses relevant literature surrounding the concept of family-centered care which is central to this study. An interpretive phenomenological research design was used in this study. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from six couples whose infants born at 37 weeks gestation or more required care in SCBU for minor problems. Interpretive phenomenological analysis resulted in themes and sub-themes into which the findings have been grouped. Results indicate that parents experience various reactions to their child's hospitalization in SCBU, which reactions are influenced by different demographic issues. Parents' participation issues as in care-giving activities, barriers to participation and bonding have been shown to vary according to the baby's stage of hospitalization and vary between mothers and fathers. Staff attitudes and behaviours have been shown to influence the parents' experiences namely in their information and participation needs. Visitation issues relating to the parents timing and duration of their visits in SCBU were explored and differences between mothers and fathers visiting have been found together with changes in parents visiting over the course of the child's hospitalization. Other visiting issues included visiting by siblings and by relatives in SCBU. The local visiting policy was extensively discussed and parents offered various suggestions on how to improve the current policy. These findings have revealed the nature and extent to which various issues relating to family-centered care are being practised and experienced by parents locally. Consequently, results have helped to suggest recommendations for further studies and potential implications for practice which would help adopt a more family-centered approach to care in the local SCBU.