The follow-up care of babies discharged from special care baby units in England and Wales between 1988 and 1989

Meeting the informational, psychosocial and emotional needs of each ICU patient and family

The acquisition of counselling skills and a review of current practice within a cardiothoracic intensive care unit (ICU) have revealed the need for a nursing development that will focus on meeting the informational, psychosocial and emotional needs of patients and their families. The findings from a literature search suggest that these needs are not always adequately met. Difficulties may be encountered by patients and their families whilst trying to adjust to a stay in the ICU, to transfer to the ward, and following discharge home. Providing a client-driven service that effectively meets these complex needs could be achieved by developing a specialist role in intensive care nursing. The patients and their families could be offered provision of information and supportive strategies that extend from admission to the ICU, through transfer to a ward, and beyond. The aim of the service would be to provide patient- and family-centred continuity of care throughout the acute and rehabilitative stages of the crisis (Turner 1992). The utilization of counselling skills could help to facilitate the service, and help each client to feel supported (Tschudin 1995, p 33).

Neonatal nurses' views on the barriers to parenting in the intensive care nursery--a pilot study

A descriptive study, using a self-reporting questionnaire, was undertaken to identify neonatal nurses' views on barriers to parenting in the intensive care nursery. The objective of the study was to determine nurses' responses to the barriers to parenting identified in the nursing literature. Relevant literature was examined and the questionnaire developed. To determine reliability and validity, the questionnaire was examined by both medical and nursing experts and a pilot study was undertaken, with relevant changes made, as many answers reflect current unit policy rather than opinion. Questionnaires were distributed in an intensive care nursery in Brisbane, Australia; the nurses were asked to rate the extent of their agreement with the points identified in the literature on a seven-point scale, with 1 being the lowest score and 7 the highest. Of the 80 questionnaires distributed, 40 were returned. The results of the questionnaire indicated an understanding of the environmental and emotional barriers confronting parents. However, there was little acknowledgement of the nurse-initiated practices which also prevent parents fulfilling their parenting role. Evenly divided responses were received to several questions, indicating inconsistency in neonatal nurses' views on what constitute barriers to parenting. The results of the questionnaire are of value in extending neonatal nursing knowledge. They provide a snapshot of neonatal nurses' views on the barriers confronting parents as they attempt to fulfill their parenting role, and bring nurse-initiated barriers, such as policy and procedures, to the attention of neonatal intensive care nurses.