Purpose The purpose of this study was to review studies investigating the effect of bereavement care provided for parents in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Methods We conducted a literature review of databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL) for studies published in English and four databases (RISS, KISS, NANET, and KoreaMed) for Korean studies. The selection criteria included original articles that evaluated the parents’ perceptions or responses to bereavement care provided in the neonatal intensive care unit. Of 889 articles from the initial screening, 66 articles underwent full-text review and five articles were finally selected for analysis.
Results None of the studies was conducted in Korea. Only one study used a randomized control trial design. The forms of bereavement care reviewed included a provision of a memory package, grief information, and emotional and/or social support from peers or health care providers. The effectiveness of bereavement care was measured by including grief, social support, and depression.
Conclusion Bereavement care can be considered to be beneficial for relieving grief reactions and enhancing the personal growth of bereaved parents. Future research should assess the needs of bereaved parents in Korea. Nurses may play a role in developing the bereavement care for parents.
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Purpose This study aimed to characterize the relationship between parental stress and nurses’ communication as perceived by parents of high-risk newborns in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
Methods The participants were 54 parents of high-risk newborns in a NICU. Data were collected from January to March 2018. Parental stress and parents’ perceptions of nurses’ communication ability and styles were measured using a questionnaire.
Results The average scores for parental stress and nurses’ communication ability were 3.39 and 4.38 respectively, on a 5-point scale. Parents most commonly reported that nurses showed a friendly communication style, followed by informative and authoritative styles. Mothers and fathers reported significantly different levels of parental stress. Parental stress showed a negative correlation with nurses’ perceived verbal communication ability. Higher scores for nurses’ verbal communication ability and for friendly and informative communication styles were associated with lower parental stress induced by the environment, the baby’s appearance and behaviors, and treatments in the NICU.
Conclusion The findings of this study suggest that nurses need to offer proper information for parents and to support parents by encouraging them to express their emotions of stress and by providing parents with therapeutic communication and opportunities to participate in care.
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Purpose This prospective study was conducted to determine the incidence and related characteristics of respiratory medical device-related pressure ulcers (MDRPU) in children admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).
Methods The participants were 184 children who were admitted to the PICU of P University Hospital from April 2016 to January 2017. Data were collected on the occurrence of respiratory MDRPU and characteristics regarding the application of respiratory medical devices.
Results Respiratory MDRPU occurred in 11.9% of participants (58.3%: stage I ulcers, 37.5%: mucosal ulcers). The devices associated with respiratory MDRPU were endotracheal tubes (54.2%), high-flow nasal cannulas (37.5%), and oximetry probes (8.3%). Respiratory MDRPU associated with an endotracheal tube were significant differences according to the site and strength of fixation, the use of a bite block and adhesive tape, skin dryness, and edema. In high-flow nasal cannulas, significant differences were found according to the site of fixation, immobility after fixation, and skin dryness.
Conclusion The occurrence of respiratory MDRPU is significantly affected by the method and strength of fixation, as well as skin dryness and edema. Therefore, appropriate consideration of these factors in nursing care can help prevent respiratory MDRPU.
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Methods The participants were 95 patients, newborn to 18 years, who were admitted to the PICU. The instruments used were the Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale (RASS), and the Cornell Assessment of Pediatric Delirium. Data analysis was performed using the descriptive, x2 test, t-test, and logistic regression analyses.
Results The incidence of delirium in children admitted to the PICU was 42.1%. There were significant differences according to age (x2=14.10, p=.007), admission type (x2=7.40, p=.007), use of physical restraints (x2=26.11, p<.001), RASS score (x2=14.80, p=.001), need for oxygen (x2=5.31, p=.021), use of a mechanical device (x2=9.97, p=.041), feeding (x2=7.85, p=.005), and the presence of familiar objects (x2=29.21, p<.001). Factors associated with the diagnosis of delirium were the use of physical restraint (odds ratio [OR]=13.82, 95% confidence interval [CI]=4.16~45.95, p<.001) and the presence of familiar objects (OR=0.09, 95% CI=0.03~0.30, p=.002).
Conclusion Periodic delirium assessments and intervention should be actively performed. The use of restraints should be minimized if possible. The caregiver should surround the child with familiar objects and ensure a friendly hospital environment that is appropriate for the child.
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Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the paternal stress and nursing support as perceived by fathers of high risk infants admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU).
Methods The study participants included 88 fathers of high risk infants in NICUs. Their parental stress and nursing support were measured using a self-report questionnaire.
Results The parental stress level of the fathers was 3.57 of a possible 5. Among the parental stress items, ‘Relationship with infant and parental role’ had the highest scores. The perceived nursing support level was a relatively high, 3.90 on a 5-point scale. The lowest score was for the item ‘showed concern about my well-being.’ The parental stress was lower in fathers with low income, higher in fathers in nuclear families and when the infants’ condition was serious.
Conclusion The findings indicate that fathers of high risk infants experience intense parental stress. Thus when designing care to provide support for these fathers and their infants, it is necessary to encourage the fathers’ engagement, provide information on how to respond to the baby, and include supportive care to the fathers.
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PURPOSE This study was done to identify the effectiveness of the 'intervention - mother's recorded song' on low-birth weight infants in an neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). METHODS This study was conducted with a nonequivalent control group pre-posttest quasi-experimental design and the participant group was low-birth weight infants who were admitted to the NICU. Forty-eight infants, 24 in each from two groups, the experimental and control group, participated in the study. RESULTS For physical response according to vital signs, there were no significant statistical differences in heart rate, respiration rate and pulse oximetry saturation between the experimental group and the control group. For behavioral state, there was a significant statistical difference between the experimental and control group. CONCLUSION The study results indicate that the intervention using mother's song had some significance as a nursing intervention with positive impacts. Such an intervention can help pediatric nurses improve infants' stabilization of their vital signs and behavioral states. By showing the effectiveness of such an intervention, the results of this study provide further evidence-based information in developing the practice of pediatric nursing.
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Concept Analysis of Developmental Care for Preterm Infants: Hybrid Model. Jeongsoon Kim, Heesun Shin Child Health Nursing Research.2014; 20(4): 350. CrossRef
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