Fathers’ perception of information received during their infants’ stay at a neonatal intensive care unit
Categorie(s):
Healt
Author(s):
R Ignell Modé, E Mard, KH Nyqvist, YTB Blomqvist
Keyword(s):
Kesehatan, kebidanan, Jurnal Internasional, jurnal, Father, Information, Infant preterm, Neonatal intensive care unit, Staff
DOI:
Abstract :
ABSTRACT
Objective: To explore fathers’ perception of information received during their infants’ care at a neonatal
intensive care unit (NICU).
Methods: An inductive, qualitative and descriptive study. Eight fathers in two units were interviewed.
The infants’ gestational age at birth ranged between 23 and 36 weeks. Data were collected through semistructured,
individual interviews and were analyzed by qualitative content analysis.
Results: Three categories were identified: perception of information, perception of the source of information,
and circumstances influencing the perception of information. Information had an important impact;
comprehensible and adequate information increased the fathers’ knowledge, which generated a sense
of control. Early information about the infant’s care was particularly important and positively affected
father and infant bonding.
Conclusion and practical implications: Ensuring a high quality of information is an important task for NICU
staff. Fathers’ perception of the quality of information depended on the contents of the information and
how it was conveyed. Comprehensible information at the onset of the infant’s hospital stay increased
the fathers’ sense of security, and made them feel in control. It is important that the staff strive to identify
what information the father requires, and prevent situations when fathers feel uncertainty about what
the staff expect from them.