Postdischarge From the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Mothers’ Needs for Health Care Resources & Social Supports

IMPORTANCE: Women experience physical, emotional, and occupational challenges through the perinatal period. These challenges often intensify when a newborn is admitted into the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Yet, research suggests a gap in family-centered services and resource utilization following a family’s discharge from the NICU, including early intervention services. Objective: To explore mothers’ and healthcare providers’ perspectives on family-centered care and access to resources for families after an infant’s discharge from the NICU and its impact on a mother’s self-efficacy, role satisfaction, and well-being.

DESIGN: Descriptive mixed-methods study Setting: Hospital- and community-based settings that offer services for infants and families Participants: Mothers of NICU graduates who are 12 months of age or younger and healthcare providers that interact with mothers throughout the perinatal period.

METHOD: Demographic questionnaire, Measure of Processes of Care (MPOC), Perceived Maternal Parenting Self-Efficacy Scale (PMP-SE), Role Checklist, and the World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5).

RESULTS: On the MPOC, both healthcare providers and mothers reported that relationship-building is utilized more frequently than sharing general and specific information. On the WHO, mothers reported an average scaled score of 50.8 in this study suggesting poor well-being. Significant positive correlations existed between the WHO-5 and the MPOC-20 domains of providing general (rs = .560) and specific information (rs = .651) and partnership with care providers (rs = .563).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Suggests that the provision of general information is associated with well-being and access to resources for mothers of NICU graduates. Mothers and providers reported limited social and psychosocial supports. Practitioners have the opportunity to share additional information and advocate for increased social support for mothers of NICU graduates.

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