The needs of parents of newborns requiring hospitalization: A comparison of parents’ and healthcare professionals’ perspectives

Abstract

Zdravljenje novorojenčka v bolnišnici je za starše stresna izkušnja, ki se odraža v njihovem doživljanju raznolikih potreb. Namen raziskave je bil proučiti potrebe staršev novorojenčkov, ki potrebujejo bolnišnično zdravljenje, ter jih primerjati s potrebami staršev, kot jih ocenjujejo zdravstveni delavci. V vzorec smo vključili 189 staršev, katerih novorojenček je bil zdravljen na Kliničnem oddelku za neonatologijo, ter 33 zdravstvenih delavcev, zaposlenih na tem oddelku. Za raziskavo smo prilagodili in uporabili Vprašalnik potreb staršev novorojenčkov, zdravljenih na neonatalnem oddelku (angl. NICU Family Needs Inventory; Ward, 1999), ki so ga izpolnili starši in zdravstveno osebje. Rezultati so pokazali, da so starši kot najpomembnejši ocenili potrebi po bližini in pomiritvi, sledi potreba po informacijah, nato potreba po opori in nazadnje potreba po udobju. Zdravstveno osebje je potrebe staršev ocenilo v podobnem vrstnem redu; kot najpomembnejši je ocenilo potrebi po pomiritvi in bližini, sledijo potrebe po informacijah, opori in udobju. Nadalje smo ugotovili, da so starši v primerjavi z zdravstvenim osebjem ocenili potrebe po bližini, pomiritvi in informacijah kot razmeroma pomembnejše. Starši, ki so bivali v bolnišnici, so izražali višji potrebi po opori in informacijah; starši, katerih novorojenček se je zdravil dlje časa, so izražali nižjo potrebo po bližini; starši z višjo izobrazbo pa so izražali nižjo potrebo po informacijah. Na podlagi ugotovitev raziskave poudarjamo ključne potrebe staršev novorojenčkov, zdravljenih v bolnišnici, in opozarjamo na pomen razumevanja teh potreb pri zdravstvenem osebju, kar je bistveno za izboljšanje kakovosti oskrbe novorojenčkov ter povečanje zadovoljstva in psihičnega blagostanja staršev.Hospitalization of a newborn is a stressful experience for parents, reflected in their perception of various needs. The aim of the study was to examine the needs of parents of hospitalized newborns and to compare these needs with how they are perceived by healthcare professionals. The sample included 189 parents whose newborn was treated at the Clinical Department of Neonatology, and 33 healthcare professionals employed at the same department. For the study, we adapted and used the NICU Family Needs Inventory (Ward, 1999), which was completed by both parents and healthcare staff. The results showed that parents rated the need for proximity and reassurance as most important, followed by the need for information, support, and finally comfort. Healthcare professionals assessed the parents’ needs in a similar order: they rated the needs for reassurance and proximity as most important, followed by information, support, and comfort. Furthermore, we found that parents, compared to healthcare professionals, rated the needs for proximity, reassurance, and information as relatively more important. Parents who stayed in the hospital expressed a higher need for support and information; parents whose newborn was hospitalized for a longer period expressed a lower need for proximity; and parents with higher levels of education expressed a lower need for information. Based on the findings, we emphasize the key needs of parents of hospitalized newborns and highlight the importance of healthcare professionals‘ understanding of these needs, which is essential for improving the quality of neonatal care and enhancing parental satisfaction and psychological well-being