Affiliations: [a] Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Medical Center, Medical Sciences/University of Tehran, Tehran, IR Iran | [b] Msc. School of Nursing and Midwifery, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, IR Iran
| [c] Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, IR Iran | [d] Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey
| [e] Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, IR Iran | [f] Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Nursing Research Center, Golestan University
of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, IR Iran
Correspondence:
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Address for correspondence: Zahra Sabzi, Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery,Nursing Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, IR Iran. Tel.: +98 1732451353; Fax: +98 1732456900; E-mail: dr.sabzi@goums.ac.ir.
Abstract: BACKGROUND:The mother-newborn relationship is more important in neonates hospitalized in the NICU than in healthy neonates. This study was conducted to explore the experiences of the mothers of infants hospitalized in the NICU. MATERIALS AND METHODS:This qualitative study was done in 2016 by adopting a conventional content analysis approach. Thirty-five mothers in the NICUs, Imam Hossein Hospital and Fatemieh Hospital were selected. Their experiences were assessed using in-depth individual semi-structured interviews. Sampling was purposive and was continued until reaching data saturation. RESULTS:Two hundred and nine primary codes were extracted. After removing duplicates and overlaps, 95 primary codes were categorized in 8 subcategories, 2 accessory categories and 1 main category based on their appropriateness, agreement, and similarity. The accessory categories of “mothers’ worries” and “mothers’ hopes” were merged into a more general, abstract category named “dual feelings about the baby”. CONCLUSIONS:The nurses’ awareness of the mothers’ experiences can help design interventions to promote the quality of care for mothers and infants in the critical period of the NICU admission.
Keywords: Premature neonate, mother, hospitalized, neonatal intensive care unit, qualitative design
