Family Management Skills Reported by Parents of Preterm Infants in the NICU Using the Self- and Family Management Framework (SFMF).
Ashley Weber, Tamilyn Bakas, Dena Schulman-Green and 8 others
PMID 38127650WHAT IT FOUND
Parents of preterm infants described learning to judge information sources, manage infant symptoms with comfort measures, and activate social, psychological, and community resources during NICU care.
These reports point to bedside education and family integration as nursing support.
Key findings
01Parents reported identifying credible information sources such as nurses, doctors, multidisciplinary rounds, other parents, relatives in healthcare, and research articles, and some turned to internet or social media when they did not receive or trust team information.
02Parents described taking ownership of infant health needs by managing symptoms such as pain, stress, feeding intolerance, drops in heart rate and oxygen levels, and procedure side effects, and by using kangaroo care, therapeutic touch, oral immune therapy, and talking or singing.
03Parents reported activating psychological, social, and community resources, including peer parents, social workers, mental health providers, counseling, support groups, transportation, childcare, legal assistance, housing, and accommodations for work or school.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study included 17 parents, mostly veteran parents or peer mentors, and most had high education levels and more resources, so it may not represent parents with fewer supports or no NICU experience. It is a secondary analysis of interviews collected to refine a video intervention, not a randomized test of family management training. Parents did not report on every skill, and some skills were discussed more than others. The paper describes what parents said they did; it does not show that these skills improved infant or parent outcomes. The sample was in the United States, so barriers like paid leave, childcare, and transportation may differ elsewhere.
Declared interests
The article states that the authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that teaching family management skills improves infant or parent outcomes. The paper reports parents' descriptions of skills from interviews, not tested effects.