EXAMINATION OF THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN INFANT NEURODEVELOPMENTAL STATUS AND PARENTAL VISITATION AND INVOLVEMENT IN A NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

ECU Author/Contributor (non-ECU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

Jessie L Tucci-Herron (Creator)

Institution

East Carolina University (ECU )

Web Site: http://www.ecu.edu/lib/

Abstract: Background: Children born prematurely are at risk for long-term neurocognitive delays and poor academic performance at school-age. Research suggests parental involvement during a child's treatment in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is a positive factor in infant neurological development. Parents of a preterm baby may not be as involved , however , because of socioeconomic factors limiting visitation , caution and uncertainty about interacting with a medically fragile newborn , and parental psychological factors such as stress and anxiety making visitation and interaction difficult. No previous research has examined neurological status in this context. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine if there is a relationship between neurodevelopmental status and both the frequency and type of parental involvement during a child's hospitalization after birth. Biological parents (n=18) of infants hospitalized for at least seven days in the NICU at a large southeastern medical center completed a survey upon their infant's discharge , which assessed barriers to , reasons for , and facilitators of visiting their infant in the NICU. Infants' electronic health records were reviewed to obtain frequency of parental visitation , type of involvement , length of hospitalization , infant medical history , and neurological assessment results. Results: Increased parental visitation and involvement for dads was related to abnormal neurological status.

Additional Information

Publication

Thesis

Language: English

Date: 2017

Keywords

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit infant neurological status parental visitation parental involvement

Subjects

Email this document to