Parent-centred Communication in Neonatal Intensive Care Units: Needs and Sources of Information

Abstract

This study intends to analyse the information needs re ported by mothers and fathers of very preterm babies and their perception about the quality, comprehensibility, use fulness and availability of the main sources of information used to fulfil them. Parents (n=211) of very preterm infants hospitalised in all level III NICU in the Northern Health Re gion of Portugal were consecutively and systematically invited to participate in the study (July 2013-June 2014). Mothers attributed higher importance to information needs than fathers (Median (P25-P75): 3.8(3.6-3.9) vs 3.7(3.5-3.9), p<0.05). Parents focused on information regarding infants’ health and treatment during hospitalisation that is provided by nurses and physicians, considering it of good quality, easy to understand and useful. Information provided by nurses was perceived as the easiest to obtain. Improvements in parent-centred communication in NICU depend on assess ing gender-specific needs of information, diversifying the sources used during infants’ hospitalisation, and assuring the quality of the information.