Effect of Family-centered Care on Improving Parental Satisfaction and Reducing Readmission among Premature Infants: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Identifying outcomes and outcome measures in neonatal family-centered care trials: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

A wide range of outcomes for infants and parents has been reported in clinical trials testing FCC interventions. This systematic review aimed to identify outcomes, outcome measures, and time-points reported in experimental studies testing FCC interventions in neonatal care units.

METHODS

This review included experimental studies investigating FCC interventions in neonatal settings. Database searches were conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane, PsycINFO, Scopus, JBI, Lilacs, and SciELO, completed in December 2022 and updated in November 2023. Critical appraisal was performed using the JBI checklist for randomized controlled trials, and a narrative synthesis process was used. Outcomes were categorized into the Comet Taxonomy core areas.

RESULTS

The search identified 8787 papers; 42 studies were included in the analysis. Totally, 60 outcomes were identified: 42 infant and 18 parents' outcomes. Outcomes were clustered into 12 domains for infants and five domains for parents and measured by 97 outcome measures. The included studies reported 25 and 27 different time-points for infants and parents, respectively.

CONCLUSION

This review of studies testing FCC interventions identified heterogeneity and inconsistency of outcomes, outcome measures, and time-points measuring the outcomes. Developing a core outcome set for FCC studies is warranted to benchmark the evidence and identify best-practices.

IMPACT

This systematic review identified inconsistency of outcomes, outcome measures, and time-points reported in quantitative studies testing family-centered care interventions in neonatal care settings. The lack of standardized outcomes and outcome measures reported in clinical trials makes it difficult to synthesize data to provide conclusive recommendations. This systematic review will contribute to the development of a core outcome set for research testing family-centered care interventions in neonatal care settings.

Uncertainty associated with parents of preterm infants hospitalised in neonatal intensive care unit among selected governmental hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2022: an institution-based cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

To assess the uncertainty associated with parents of preterm infants hospitalised in neonatal intensive care units of selected governmental hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2022.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study conducted from 3 March 2022 to 30 March 2022.

SETTING

The research was conducted at a government hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

PARTICIPANTS

Out of 305 eligible participants, 303 were parents of preterm infants' participants with complete data.

PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE

Levels of parental uncertainty, assessed by using the Mishel scale of uncertainty. Simple and multivariable linear regression analyses were conducted to assess associations between variables.

RESULTS

The mean uncertainty expressed by parents was 101.3 (SD=21.12). There were significant associations found with various factors. The sex of the respondent fathers (β=-4.65, 95% CI -9.32 to -0.025), length of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stay >10 days (β=14.64, 95% CI 8.71 to 20.56), gestational week between 34 and 37 weeks (β=-7.47, 95% CI -11.42 to -3.52), parents with college degrees and above (β=-14.15, 95% CI -22.94 to -5.34), parents with neonates who were preterm and had neonatal sepsis (β=10.42, 95% CI -17.57 to -3.27), parents without a history of neonatal NICU admission (β=-6.16, 95% CI -11.69 to -0.63) and parents who were housewives (β=6.51, 95% CI 1.83 to 12.19) all showed significant associations.

CONCLUSION

Factors like educational status, gestational week, neonatal admission history and NICU stay length contribute to parental uncertainty. Promoting empathy and clear communication is crucial. Hospitals should develop compassionate protocols for information delivery, including regular updates and effective addressing of concerns. Fostering a supportive environment helps parents express emotions and seek support.

Quality of Life of Mothers and Fathers 4 to 6 Months After Birth: The Effect of a Very Preterm Delivery

OBJECTIVES

The sparse literature on the effect of a preterm delivery on parents' quality of life (QoL) yields inconsistent results, restricting their analysis to mothers. The present study aimed to assess the effect of a very preterm delivery on parents' gender-specific perception of QoL, 4 to 6 months after birth.

METHODS

A total of 117 parents of very preterm infants hospitalized at birth in a level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and 214 parents of never hospitalized full-term infants born in a public maternity, both located in the North of Portugal, participated in the study, 4 to 6 months after delivery (November 2013-June 2015). The Portuguese version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life - BREF Inventory was applied and scores were transformed to reflect a 0 to 100 scale.

RESULTS

The mean [standard deviation (SD)] of overall QoL ranged between 72.1 (13.3) among mothers of full-term infants and 74.6 (12.5) among mothers of very preterm infants. The perception of QoL was not significantly different among parents of very preterm and full-term infants, according to gender. The highest scores were observed in the psychological and physical dimensions, for both mothers and fathers.

CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE

The lack of differences on the perception of QoL among mothers and fathers of very preterm and full-term infants, highlights the need to deeply understand and explore the influence of accommodation mechanisms, the extended family/community and health policies on parental QoL trajectories.

Measuring experience of and satisfaction with newborn care: a scoping review of tools and measures

BACKGROUND

Standardised measures on experience of care are essential to understanding the care women and newborns receive and to designing appropriate interventions and responses. This review builds on ongoing work in the realm of maternity care and complements it by reviewing existing tools and measures to assess experience of and satisfaction with the care of the newborn.

METHODS

We conducted a scoping review of published literature to identify measures and tools of experience (physiological or indirect) and satisfaction with newborn care. We systematically searched five bibliographic databases from 1 January 2010 through 1 December 2022 and contacted professional networks. Using a predefined evidence template, we extracted data on the studies and the tools' characteristics. We mapped the tools and measures against the WHO quality of care frameworks to identify the most frequent measured domains of care and to highlight existing gaps.

RESULT

We identified 18 292 records of which 72 were eligible. An innovative finding of this review is the inclusion of newborn perspectives through behavioural responses, physiological signals, pain profiles as well as other non-verbal cues as markers of newborn experience. Domains related to parental participation and decision-making, ensuring continuity of care and receiving coordinated care, were the most measured across the included tools.

CONCLUSION

Comprehensive and validated instruments measuring all aspects of care are needed. Developing a robust theoretical ground will be fundamental to the design and utilisation of standardised tools and measures.

PROTOCOL REGISTRATION DETAILS

This review was registered and published on protocol.io (dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.bvk7n4zn).

Therapeutic touch and therapeutic alliance in pediatric care and neonatology: An active inference framework

Therapeutic affective touch has been recognized as essential for survival, nurturing supportive interpersonal interactions, accelerating recovery-including reducing hospitalisations, and promoting overall health and building robust therapeutic alliances. Through the lens of active inference, we present an integrative model, combining therapeutic touch and communication, to achieve biobehavioural synchrony. This model speaks to how the brain develops a generative model required for recovery, developing successful therapeutic alliances, and regulating allostasis within paediatric manual therapy. We apply active inference to explain the neurophysiological and behavioural mechanisms that underwrite the development and maintenance of synchronous relationships through touch. This paper foregrounds the crucial role of therapeutic touch in developing a solid therapeutic alliance, the clinical effectiveness of paediatric care, and triadic synchrony between health care practitioner, caregiver, and infant in a variety of clinical situations. We start by providing a brief overview of the significance and clinical role of touch in the development of social interactions in infants; facilitating a positive therapeutic alliance and restoring homeostasis through touch to allow a more efficient process of allostatic regulation. Moreover, we explain the role of CT tactile afferents in achieving positive clinical outcomes and updating prior beliefs. We then discuss how touch is implemented in treatment sessions to promote cooperative interactions in the clinic and facilitate theory of mind. This underwrites biobehavioural synchrony, epistemic trust, empathy, and the resolution of uncertainty. The ensuing framework is underpinned by a critical application of the active inference framework to the fields of pediatrics and neonatology.

Engagement of Families in the Care of Hospitalized Pediatric Patients: A Scoping Review

This scoping review was conducted to examine the range, nature, and extent of the published family engagement literature specific to the pediatric acute care setting to highlight future research and practice development opportunities. Included studies (N = 247) revealed global relevance. Engagement strategies ranged from more passive such as allowing/encouraging families to be present at the bedside to more active strategies aimed at promoting mutual and reciprocal nurse-patient interactions. Family engagement is distinguished by a mutually beneficial partnership of families with health care team members and care organizations. Future research in the area of family engagement in pediatric nursing should focus on determining the core engaging health professional behaviors and engaged parent outcomes; extending the knowledge base related to mutually beneficial partnerships between families and health care teams; developing effectiveness studies to determine the optimal engaging actions by teams to achieve parent engagement; and measuring the influence of engagement on parent and infant/child outcomes.

Parental participation in the care of hospitalized neonates in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

To determine the effect of parental participation in hospital care on neonatal and parental outcomes in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and to identify the range of parental duties in the care of hospitalized neonates in LMICs.

METHODS

We searched CINAHL, CENTRAL, LILACs, MEDLINE, EMBASE and Web of Science from inception to February 2022. Randomized and non-randomized studies from LMICs were eligible if parents performed one or more roles traditionally undertaken by healthcare staff. The primary outcome was hospital length-of-stay. Secondary outcomes included mortality, readmission, breastfeeding, growth, development and parental well-being. Data was extracted in duplicate by two independent reviewers using a piloted extraction form.

RESULTS

Eighteen studies (eight randomized and ten non-randomized) were included from seven middle-income countries. The types of parental participation included hygiene and infection prevention, feeding, monitoring and documentation, respiratory care, developmental care, medication administration and decision making. Meta-analyses showed that parental participation was not associated with hospital length-of-stay (MD -2.35, 95% CI -6.78-2.07). However, parental involvement was associated with decreased mortality (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.22-0.95), increased breastfeeding (OR 2.97 95% CI 1.65-5.35) and decreased hospital readmission (OR 0.36, 95% CI 0.16-0.81). Narrative synthesis demonstrated additional benefits for growth, short-term neurodevelopment and parental well-being. Ten of the eighteen studies had a high risk of bias.

CONCLUSION

Parental participation in neonatal hospital care is associated with improvement in several key neonatal outcomes in middle-income countries. The lack of data from low-income countries suggests that there remains barriers to parental participation in resource-poor settings.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

[https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=187562], identifier [CRD42020187562].

Psychosocial and Neurobiological Vulnerabilities of the Hospitalized Preterm Infant and Relevant Non-pharmacological Pain Mitigation Strategies

Background: Preterm pain is common in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), with multiple invasive procedures occurring daily. Objective: To review the psychosocial and neurobiological vulnerabilities of preterm infants and to provide an updated overview of non-pharmacological strategies for acute procedural pain in hospitalized preterm infants. Methods: We utilized a narrative review methodology, which also included a synthesis of key pieces of published systematic reviews that are relevant to the current work. Results and Conclusions: Preterm infants are uniquely susceptible to the impact of painful procedures and prolonged separation from caregivers that are often inherent in a NICU stay. Non-pharmacological interventions can be efficacious for mitigating procedural pain for preterm infants. Interventions should continue to be evaluated with high quality randomized controlled trials, and should endeavor to take into account the neurobiological and psychosocial aspects of preterm vulnerability for pain prevention and management strategies.

Building a culture of early mobilization in the pediatric intensive care unit-a nuts and bolts approach

The culture of sedation and immobilization in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) is associated with PICU-acquired weakness, delirium, and poor functional, neurocognitive and psychosocial outcomes. A structured approach to introducing physical activity, as early as possible after PICU admission, may prevent these complications and optimize the holistic outcomes of critically ill children. Changing culture and introducing new clinical practice in PICU is complex, but can be approached systematically, using a "nuts and bolts" approach targeting the basic, practical considerations and essential required elements or components. Extending the construction analogy, this article reviews the relevant literature to describe the essential elements required to build and sustain a successful and safe early mobility program in the PICU. Effective early mobilization requires individual patient assessment and goal setting, using a collaborative inter-disciplinary, patient- and family-centered approach, to ensure mobility goals and physical activities are appropriate for the patient's age, condition/s, premorbid function, strength, endurance and developmental level. Early mobility activities for the pediatric age spectrum include active or active-assisted range of motion exercises, neurodevelopmental play, use of mobility devices, in-bed exercises, transfers, sitting or standing tolerance, crawling, pre-gait activities, ambulation and activities of daily living, with a focus on play as function. Although there are few complete contraindications to early mobilization, appropriate precautions and preparation should be taken to mitigate potential safety concerns. Although there are many perceived barriers to early mobilization in the PICU, at the level of patient, provider, institution and knowledge translation; these are not objectively associated with increased risk during mobilization and can be overcome through an engaged process of practice change by all members of the interprofessional clinical team. Early mobility programs could be initiated in PICU as systematic quality improvement initiatives, with established processes to optimize structural, process and system elements and to provide continual feedback, measurement, benchmarking and collaboration; to ultimately impact on measurable patient outcomes. Early, graded, and individually prescribed mobilization should be considered as part of the standard PICU "package of care" for all critically ill and injured children, in order to improve their functional status and quality of life after PICU discharge.

The Relationship Between Parents' Perceptions of Family-Centered Care and Their Health Care Satisfaction

Aim: This study was conducted to determine the relationship between the perceptions of parents whose children are hospitalized about family-centered care provided in the hospital and their health care satisfaction and the factors affecting them. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted with parents (n=169) of children who were hospitalized in a university hospital in Turkey between May and July 2019. Data were collected with "Child and Family Information Form", "Family-Centered Care Scale" and "PedsQL Health Care Satisfaction Scale". Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, Mann Whitney U, and Spearman correlation tests. Results: The mean age of the children was 6.86±5.63, 51.5% were male, 56.2% were hospitalized before and 88.2% of parents received information about the care and treatment of their children. There was a positive correlation between the parents’ Family-Centered Care Scale and PedsQL Health Care Satisfaction Scale scores and between the age of the children and age of the mother and the PedsQL Health Care Satisfaction Scale scores, the number of children and Family-Centered Care Scale scores of parents. A statistically significant difference was found between the child's previous hospitalization and median scores of the Family-Centered Care Scale, and between whether parents receive information about the care and treatment of their children and the median scores of the PedsQL Health Care Satisfaction Scale. Conclusion: In this study, as the family-centered care that parents expect was met, their health care satisfaction increased. As the age of children and mothers increased, parents' health care satisfaction increased. Health care satisfaction of parents who received information about treatment and care was found higher. Keywords: family-centered care, patient satisfaction, child, parents

Neonatal nursing during the COVID-19 global pandemic: A thematic analysis of personal reflections

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant changes and restrictions to neonatal care. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of these changes on neonatal nurses globally.

METHODS

We conducted a thematic analysis on written reflections by neonatal nurses worldwide, exploring their experiences of COVID-19. Twenty-two reflections were analysed from eleven countries.

RESULTS

Thematic analysis revealed 4 main themes relating to the nurses' role: 1) protector 2) challenges to human quality of care 3) vulnerability and 4) resilience. The measures taken as protector were described as compromising the human qualities of care fundamental to their role. This tension, together with other new challenges, heightened feelings of vulnerability. Concurrently, nurses identified role resilience, including resourcefulness and peer support, which allowed them to navigate the global pandemic.

CONCLUSION

By identifying global challenges and strategies to overcome these, neonatal nurses may be better equipped as the pandemic continues. The reflections underscore the importance of family integrated care and the tension created when it is compromised.

Assessment of feasibility and acceptability of family-centered care implemented at a neonatal intensive care unit in India

Background

A family-centered care (FCC) parent participation program that ensures an infant is not separated from parents against their will was developed for the caring of their small or sick newborn at a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Delhi, India. Healthcare provider sensitization training directed at psychosocial and tangible support and an audio-visual training tool for parent-attendants were developed that included: 1) handwashing, infection prevention, protocol for entry; 2) developmentally supportive care, breastfeeding, expression of breastmilk and assisted feeding; 3) kangaroo mother care; and 4) preparation for discharge and care at home. The study aimed to examine the feasibility and acceptability of the FCC model in a NICU in India.

Methods

A prospective cohort design collected quantitative data on each parent-attendant/infant dyad at enrollment, during the NICU stay, and at discharge. Feasibility of the FCC program was measured by assessing the participation of parent-attendants and healthcare providers, and whether training components were implemented as intended. Acceptability was measured by the proportion of parent-attendants who participated in the trainings and their ability to accurately complete program activities.

Results

Of 395 NICU admissions during the study period, eligible participants included 333 parent-attendant/infant dyads, 24 doctors, and 21 nurses. Of the 1242 planned parent-attendant training sessions, 939 (75.6%) were held, indicating that program fidelity was high, and the majority of trainings were implemented as intended. While 50% of parent-attendants completed all 4 FCC training sessions, 95% completed sessions 1 and 2; 60% of the total participating parent-attendants completed session 3, and 75% completed session 4. Compliance rates were over 96% for 5 of 10 FCC parent-attendant activities, and 60 to 78% for the remaining 5 activities.

Conclusions

FCC was feasible to implement in this setting and was acceptable to participating parent-attendants and healthcare providers. Parents participated in trainings conducted by NICU providers and engaged in essential care to their infants in the NICU. A standard care approach and behavior norms for healthcare providers directed psychosocial and tangible support to parent-attendants so that a child is not separated from his or her parents against their will while receiving advanced care in the NICU.

NICU and postpartum nurse perspectives on involving fathers in newborn care: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Perinatal care nurses are well positioned to provide the education and support new fathers need to navigate the transition to fatherhood and to encourage positive father involvement from the earliest hours of a child's life. To effectively serve fathers in perinatal settings, it is important to understand the attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of healthcare providers that may encourage and engage them, or alternatively alienate and discourage them.

METHODS

This qualitative study involved structured interviews with ten NICU and postpartum nurses from hospitals in two large Texas cities. The interview protocol was designed to elicit descriptive information about nurses' attitudes and beliefs, sense of efficacy and intention for working with fathers, as well as their father-directed behaviors. Nurses were recruited for the study using a purposive sampling approach. Interviews were conducted by telephone and lasted approximately 25 to 35 min. Data were analyzed using a qualitative descriptive approach.

RESULTS

Overall, study participants held very positive subjective attitudes toward fathers and father involvement. Nevertheless, many of the nurses signaled normative beliefs based on race/ethnicity, gender, and culture that may moderate their intention to engage with fathers. Participants also indicated that their education as well as the culture of perinatal healthcare are focused almost entirely on the mother-baby dyad. In line with this focus on mothers, participants comments reflected a normative belief that fathers are secondary caregivers to their newborns, there to help when the mother is unavailable.

CONCLUSIONS

Nurse attitudes and practices that place mothers in the role of primary caregiver may be interpreted by fathers as excluding or disregarding them. Further research is needed to validate the results of this small-scale study, and to assess whether and how provider attitudes impact their practices in educating and engaging fathers in newborn care.

Parents' Views of Family-Centered Care at a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit-A Qualitative Study

Purpose: To describe parents' views of family-centered care at a pediatric intensive care unit. Design and Methods: A qualitative descriptive study with a deductive and inductive approach was conducted based on the principles of family-centered care. Inclusion criteria were parents of children cared for at a pediatric intensive care unit for at least 48 h. Parents of children who died during the hospital stay were excluded. The sample consisted of spontaneous responses from 70 parents to five open questions in the EMpowerment of PArents in THe Intensive Care questionnaire, which was completed at discharge. The spontaneous responses were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: The analysis of the parents' statement illuminated that partnership, the essence of family-centered care, appeared incomplete. Partnership was particularly evident regarding parents' experiences of being treated with empathy and respect. It also seemed prominent in situations where the professional team provided support to the child, parents, and family. Based on the parents' statements there was potential for development of the family-centered care approach in aspects such as decision-making concerning care and treatment, as well as improving person-centered communication on order to capture parents' experiences and needs in the highly technological pediatric intensive care unit environment. Conclusions: Although in general parents were satisfied with the care, areas for improvement were identified such as participation in decision-making about care and treatment as well as person-centered communication. The results can contribute to future quality improvement interventions focusing family centered care at pediatric intensive care units.

Mobilization practices in critically ill children: a European point prevalence study (EU PARK-PICU)

Background

Early mobilization of adults receiving intensive care improves health outcomes, yet little is known about mobilization practices in paediatric intensive care units (PICUs). We aimed to determine the prevalence of and factors associated with physical rehabilitation in PICUs across Europe.

Methods

A 2-day, cross-sectional, multicentre point prevalence study was conducted in May and November 2018. The primary outcome was the prevalence of physical therapy (PT)- or occupational therapy (OT)-provided mobility. Clinical data and data on patient mobility, potential mobility safety events, and mobilization barriers were prospectively collected in patients admitted for ≥72 h.

Results

Data of 456 children admitted to one of 38 participating PICUs from 15 European countries were collected (456 patient days); 70% were under 3 years of age. The point prevalence of PT- and/or OT-provided mobility activities was 39% (179/456) (95% CI 34.7–43.9%) during the patient days, with significant differences between European regions. Nurses were involved in 72% (924/1283) of the mobility events; in the remaining 28%, PT/OT, physicians, family members, or other professionals were involved. Of the factors studied, family presence was most strongly positively associated with out-of-bed mobilization (aOR 7.83, 95% CI 3.09–19.79). Invasive mechanical ventilation with an endotracheal tube was negatively associated with out-of-bed mobility (aOR 0.28, 95% CI 0.12–0.68). Patients were completely immobile on 25% (115/456) of patient days. Barriers to mobilization were reported on 38% of patient days. The most common reported patient-related barriers were cardiovascular instability (n = 47, 10%), oversedation (n = 39, 9%), and medical contraindication (n = 37, 8%). Potential safety events occurred in 6% of all documented mobilization events.

Conclusion

Therapists are infrequently consulted for mobilization of critically ill children in European PICUs. This study highlights the need for a systematic and interdisciplinary mobilization approach for critically ill children.

Graphical abstract

Effects of a maternal role adjustment program for first time mothers who use postpartum care centers (Sanhujoriwon) in South Korea: a quasi-experimental study

BACKGROUND

Many South Korean women stay in specialized postpartum care centers called Sanhujoriwon for 2 weeks after childbirth, a time which is widely recognized as a critical period for maternal role adjustment. Mothers' time within the postpartum care center offers a unique opportunity for nursing intervention to promote a successful transition to motherhood, especially for first time mothers. This study aimed to develop a maternal role adjustment program within the Sanhujoriwon based on the ecological model, and to evaluate its effects on maternal role confidence and breastfeeding success.

METHODS

A non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. Data were collected from 30 participants in the experimental group and 37 in the control group at four measurement times, i.e., admission day to Sanhujoriwon, discharge day from Sanhujoriwon, 4-6 weeks postpartum, and 12 weeks postpartum. The experimental group received the maternal role adjustment program, which included family education and counseling regarding breastfeeding and infant care, and encouraged rooming-in practices during their stay in the Sanhujoriwon. The data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS statistics 25.0 program using descriptive statistics, t-test, chi-square test, ANCOVA, and GEE.

RESULTS

There were significant interaction effects showing different patterns in maternal role confidence and breastfeeding success scores over the four time points. Maternal role confidence in the experimental group gradually increased over time. Maternal role confidence in the control group also increased from baseline to 4 to 6 week postpartum, but abruptly decreased at 12 week postpartum. At 12 weeks postpartum, maternal role confidence in the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group. In addition, breastfeeding success scores in the experimental group also gradually increased over the four time points, while those of the control group showed a gradual decline. Breastfeeding success scores were significantly higher than those of control group at both 4-6 weeks and 12 weeks postpartum.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that the maternal role adjustment program was effective in improving maternal role confidence and breastfeeding success among first time mothers in the postpartum care center.

Measuring Parent Satisfaction With Care in Neonatal Intensive Care Units: The EMPATHIC-NICU-USA Questionnaire

Background: Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) patient satisfaction is measured as parent satisfaction. Parents are critical to the family-centered care model and can evaluate care. Several EMpowerment of PArents in THe Intensive Care (EMPATHIC) instruments were developed in the Netherlands to measure parent satisfaction with neonatal and pediatric intensive care. EMPATHIC instruments comprise five domains and a total score: information, care and treatment, organization, parental participation, and professional attitude. To our knowledge, the EMPATHIC has not been adapted for USA use. Objectives: (1) To select a relevant EMPATHIC instrument for our study. (2) To expand the content reflecting the role of nurses and the cultural heterogeneity of USA NICU infants. (3) To adapt the selected EMPATHIC instrument to USA English. (4) To establish psychometric properties of the linguistically adapted instrument. (5) To evaluate instrument performance with additional items. Methods: The EMPATHIC-30 was selected based on shortest length, high overlap with neonatal EMPATHIC-N, and availability of a validated Spanish-language version. Six items from the EMPATHIC-N were added, two of which were split into separate items, resulting in the EMPATHIC-38. A neonatal nurse practitioner adapted wording to USA English. Cognitive debriefing was performed with eight NICU parents to evaluate adapted wording. Parent survey data from a study about missed nursing care and NICU parent satisfaction were utilized. Internal consistency of the five domains and overall score was measured by Cronbach's alpha. Spearman's rank correlations were computed for domains and overall score with four validity measures. Differential validity was determined using 13 parent demographic subgroups. Results: Data were from 282 parents. Parent race was predominantly White (61%) or Black (22%). One fifth were Hispanic. The adapted wording was satisfactory. Four of the five EMPATHIC-30 and EMPATHIC-38 domains had Cronbach alphas at or above 0.70, indicating acceptable reliability. Correlations between the domain, total scores, and validity indicators ranged from 0.30 to 0.57, indicating positive, moderate associations. Results were replicated in demographic subgroups. Reliability and validity of the three domains with additional items were better than or equivalent to values for the original. Conclusion: The linguistically adapted EMPATHIC-30-NICU-USA and the expanded EMPATHIC-38-NICU-USA exhibit satisfactory psychometric properties and are suitable for use in USA NICUs.

[What should be changed in Polish neonatal units in order to implement Family-Centered Care?]

The progress that has been made in neonatology is associated with an increasing number of painful procedures constantly being performed on the neonate. Additionally, prolonged hospitalization of premature neonates in NICUs isolates the family from their child. Parents may state that they do not have any parental feelings and cannot communicate with their newborns. The FCC (Family-Centered Care) initiative responded to emerging reports about the adverse consequences ensuing from the lack of parental access to hospitalized children. The FCC should be understood as care based on partner relations between families and health professionals, which is supposed to lead to health and well-being for both the children and their parents. The FCC should become standard practice in all neonatal intensive care units.

Developing and implementing an interventional bundle to reduce mortality from gastroschisis in low-resource settings

Background: Gastroschisis is associated with less than 4% mortality in high-income countries and over 90% mortality in many tertiary paediatric surgery centres across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The aim of this trial is to develop, implement and prospectively evaluate an interventional bundle to reduce mortality from gastroschisis in seven tertiary paediatric surgery centres across SSA. Methods: A hybrid type-2 effectiveness-implementation, pre-post study design will be utilised. Using current literature an evidence-based, low-technology interventional bundle has been developed. A systematic review, qualitative study and Delphi process will provide further evidence to optimise the interventional bundle and implementation strategy. The interventional bundle has core components, which will remain consistent across all sites, and adaptable components, which will be determined through in-country co-development meetings. Pre- and post-intervention data will be collected on clinical, service delivery and implementation outcomes for 2-years at each site. The primary clinical outcome will be all-cause, in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes include the occurrence of a major complication, length of hospital stay and time to full enteral feeds. Service delivery outcomes include time to hospital and primary intervention, and adherence to the pre-hospital and in-hospital protocols.  Implementation outcomes are acceptability, adoption, appropriateness, feasibility, fidelity, coverage, cost and sustainability. Pre- and post-intervention clinical outcomes will be compared using Chi-squared analysis, unpaired t-test and/or Mann-Whitney U test. Time-series analysis will be undertaken using Statistical Process Control to identify significant trends and shifts in outcome overtime. Multivariate logistic regression analysis will be used to identify clinical and implementation factors affecting outcome with adjustment for confounders. Outcome: This will be the first multi-centre interventional study to our knowledge aimed at reducing mortality from gastroschisis in low-resource settings. If successful, detailed evaluation of both the clinical and implementation components of the study will allow sustainability in the study sites and further scale-up. Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT03724214.

Care of infants with gastroschisis in low-resource settings

There is great global disparity in the outcome of infants born with gastroschisis. Mortality approaches 100% in many low income countries. Barriers to better outcomes include lack of antenatal diagnosis, deficient pre-hospital care, ineffective neonatal resuscitation and venous access, limited intensive care facilities, poor access to the operating theatre and safe neonatal anesthesia, and lack of neonatal parenteral nutrition. However, lessons can be learned from the evolution in management of gastroschisis in high-income countries, generic efforts to improve neonatal survival in low- and middle-income countries as well as specific gastroschisis management initiatives in low-resource settings. Micro and meso-level interventions include educational outreach programs, and pre and in hospital management protocols that focus on resuscitation and include the delay or avoidance of early neonatal anesthesia by using a preformed silo or equivalent. Furthermore, multidisciplinary team training, nurse empowerment, and the intentional involvement of mothers in monitoring and care provision may contribute to improving survival. Macro level interventions include the incorporation of ultrasound into World Health Organisation antenatal care guidelines to improve antenatal detection and the establishment of the infrastructure to enable parenteral nutrition provision for neonates in low- and middle-income countries. On a global level, gastroschisis has been suggested as a bellwether condition for evaluating access to and outcomes of neonatal surgical care provision.

Quality improvement initiatives for hospitalised small and sick newborns in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

An estimated 2.6 million newborns died in 2016; over 98.5% of deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Neonates born preterm and small for gestational age are particularly at risk given the high incidence of infectious complications, cardiopulmonary, and neurodevelopmental disorders in this group. Quality improvement (QI) initiatives can reduce the burden of mortality and morbidity for hospitalised newborns in these settings. We undertook a systematic review to synthesise evidence from LMICs on QI approaches used, outcome measures employed to estimate effects, and the nature of implementation challenges.

METHODS

We searched Medline, EMBASE, WHO Global Health Library, Cochrane Library, WHO ICTRP, and ClinicalTrials.gov and scanned the references of identified studies and systematic reviews. Searches covered January 2000 until April 2017. Search terms were "quality improvement", "newborns", "hospitalised", and their derivatives. Studies were excluded if they took place in high-income countries, did not include QI interventions, or did not include small and sick hospitalised newborns. Cochrane Risk of Bias tools were used to quality appraise the studies.

RESULTS

From 8110 results, 28 studies were included, covering 23 LMICs and 65,642 participants. Most interventions were meso level (district and clinic level); fewer were micro (patient-provider level) or macro (above district level). In-service training was the most common intervention subtype; service organisation and distribution of referencing materials were also frequently identified. The most commonly assessed outcome was mortality, followed by length of admission, sepsis rates, and infection rates. Key barriers to implementation of quality improvement initiatives included overburdened staff and lack of sufficient equipment.

CONCLUSIONS

The frequency of meso level, single centre, and educational interventions suggests that these interventions may be easier for programme planners to implement. The success of some interventions in reducing morbidity and mortality rates suggests that QI approaches have a high potential for benefit to newborns. Going forward, there are opportunities to strengthen the focus of QI initiatives and to develop improved, larger-scale, collaborative research into implementation of quality improvement initiatives for this high-risk group.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42017055459 .

Improving partnerships with family members of ICU patients: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background

Over the last decade, health care delivery has shifted to partnering with patients and their families to improve health and quality of care, and to lower costs. Partnering with family members (FMs) of critically ill patients who lack capacity is particularly important for improving experiences and outcomes for both patients and FMs. How best to apply such partnering strategies, however, is yet unknown. The IMPACT trial will evaluate two interventions that enable partnerships with families of critically ill patients, each in a distinct content area, but similar in that they empower and support FMs.

Methods

This multi-center, open-label, randomized, phase II clinical trial aims to randomize 150 older, long-stay ICU patients and their families into one of three groups (50 in each group): (1) The OPTimal nutrition by Informing and Capacitating FMs of best practices (OPTICs) group, a multi-faceted intervention to engage and empower FMs to advocate for, and audit, best nutritional practices for their critically ill FMs, (2) A web-based decision-support intervention called the ICU Workbook (The Canadian Researchers at the End of Life Network (CARENET) ICU Workbook; https://www.myicuguide.ca/. Accessed 3 Feb 2017.) to support families in shared decision-making process regarding goals of medical treatments, and (3) Usual care. The main outcomes for this trial include nutritional adequacy in hospital and hand-grip strength prior to hospital discharge; satisfaction with decision-making; decision conflict; and degree of shared decision-making.

Discussion

With the goal of improving the functional recovery of nutritionally high-risk older patients and the quality of care at the end of life for these patients and their FMs in the ICU, we have proposed two novel family capacitation strategies. We hope that the nutrition and decision-support interventions implemented and evaluated in our study will contribute to the evidentiary basis for best family partnered care pathways focused on optimizing the quality of ICU care for patients with life-threatening illness and their families.

Trial registration

Clinical trials.gov, ID: NCT02920086. Registered on 30 September 2016. Protocol version dated 11 October 2016.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13063-017-2379-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Family centered care of hospitalized children: A hybrid concept analysis in Iran

Background: Family centered care of hospitalized children (FCCHC) is a multidimensional concept, which is directly associated with the context and healthcare system. This study was conducted to analyze the concept of FCCHC in Iran.

Methods: This concept analysis was conducted with the use of hybrid model in 3 phases: a literature review in the theoretical phase, semi-structured interviews and descriptive observations in the fieldwork phase, and combination of the results of 2 previous phases in the final analytical phase.

Results: The 4 main themes extracted in theoretical phase included "family and healthcare professional participation", "information sharing with families", "family and healthcare professional relationship based on dignity and respect" and "individualized care of family".Moreover, 4 themes were emerged in the fieldwork phase, including "family as a nonparticipant visitor", "one-way education", "non-supportive interactions" and "non-specific care of family". In third phase with combination of the results of 2 phases, the final definition of the concept was presented.

Conclusion: FCCHC is a comprehensive care that is affected by human and organizational factors and requires full participation of staff and family, effective interaction with family, education and information sharing with them, and individualized care of each family. By knowing the dimensions of the FCCHC, we will be able to run our activities to provide facilities and features for its optimal implementation in Iran.

The effect of kangaroo ward care in comparison with "intermediate intensive care" on the growth velocity in preterm infant with birth weight <1100 g: randomized control trial

Kangaroo mother care (KMC) reduces neonatal mortality, neonatal sepsis and improves growth outcome in preterm infants. In this study, we compared the efficacy of "baby care in kangaroo ward (KWC)" with "baby care in intermediate intensive care (IIC)" in stable preterm infants (birth weight <1100 g) for improving the growth velocity till term corrected age. One hundred and forty-one infants were randomized to KWC (n = 71) or IIC (n = 70) once the infant reached a weight of 1150 g. Infants in the KWC group were shifted to the KWC immediately after randomization and those in the IIC group were given care in the IIC till they attained a weight of 1250 g and then shifted to the KWC. The average weight gains as well as weight, length, and head circumference at term corrected age were comparable in both the groups. There was significant reduction in IIC stay post randomization and increase in weight gain before discharge in the KWC group. There was a significant increase in incidence of apnea in the IIC group.

CONCLUSION

Early KWC is equally efficacious as IIC in improving the growth outcomes of stable preterm (birth weight <1100 g) infants at term gestational age.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinical trial registry of India CTRI/2014/05/004625 WHAT IS KNOWN: • Kangaroo mother care (KMC) reduces neonatal mortality, neonatal sepsis and improves growth outcome in VLBW infants. What is new: • Baby care by mother can be given safely in kangaroo ward from a weight of 1150 g in stable preterm infants without any adverse effects.

Does family-centred neonatal discharge planning reduce healthcare usage? A before and after study in South West England

OBJECTIVE

To implement parent-oriented discharge planning (Train-to-Home) for preterm infants in neonatal care.

DESIGN

Before and after study, investigating the effects of the intervention during two 11-month periods before and after implementation.

SETTING

Four local neonatal units (LNUs) in South West England.

PARTICIPANTS

Infants without major anomalies born at 27-33 weeks' gestation admitted to participating units, and their parents.

TRAIN-TO-HOME INTERVENTION

A family-centred discharge package to increase parents' involvement and understanding of their baby's needs, comprising a train graphic and supporting care pathways to facilitate parents' understanding of their baby's progress and physiological maturation, combined with improved estimation of the likely discharge date.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Perceived Maternal Parenting Self-Efficacy (PMP S-E) scores, infant length of stay (LOS) and healthcare utilisation for 8 weeks following discharge.

RESULTS

Parents reported that the Train-to-Home improved understanding of their baby's progress and their preparedness for discharge. Despite a lack of change in PMP S-E scores with the intervention, the number of post-discharge visits to emergency departments (EDs) fell from 31 to 20 (p<0.05), with a significant reduction in associated healthcare costs (£3400 to £2200; p<0.05) after discharge. In both study phases, over 50% of infants went home more than 3 weeks before their estimated date of delivery (EDD), though no reduction in LOS occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the lack of measurable effect on the parental self-efficacy scores, the reduction in ED attendances and associated costs supports the potential value of this approach.