Juggling Multiple Roles amidst Uncertainty: The Asian Father's Perspective of an Infant in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
Am J Perinatol
; 38(13): 1420-1427, 2021 11.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32526778
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
Parents of preterm, very low birthweight (VLBW) infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) undergo emotional turmoil. Studies on parent's experiences typically focus on the maternal perspective. The purpose of the study is to explore the emotional needs and experiences of fathers of VLBW neonates in the NICU and to identify ways to improve their experiences. STUDYDESIGN:
This was a qualitative descriptive design study undertaken at the NICU of a tertiary university hospital. Convenience sampling with predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria was used to identify prospective participants. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 fathers of infants until data saturation was reached. The COREQ (Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Studies) checklist was used.RESULTS:
Father's experiences were classified into the topics of concerns, roles, and perspectives. Uncertainty was a predominant theme in each of these. Fathers assume multiple roles toward the child, wife, self, and family. Their concerns were multifaceted involving the child, family, work, and finances; they experienced a myriad of emotions, but these evolved into resilience eventually.CONCLUSION:
Fathers have unique concerns pertinent to having an infant in the NICU. They juggle multiple roles and transition to emotions of resilience. It is imperative to acknowledge the uncertainty and diverse roles of fathers, provide them with customized information, and develop more balanced parent-support groups. KEY POINTS · Fathers juggle multiple roles with a child in NICU.. · Uncertainty is a key part of their experience.. · Acknowledging their role and emotions is important..
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Recém-Nascido Prematuro
/
Unidades de Terapia Intensiva Neonatal
/
Poder Familiar
/
Recém-Nascido de muito Baixo Peso
/
Pai
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
/
Qualitative_research
Limite:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Newborn
País/Região como assunto:
Asia
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Am J Perinatol
Ano de publicação:
2021
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Singapura