Three-Stage Care Experiences and Needs of Parents With Children in NICU: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis.
Fang Wang, XiaoMei Yang, HongQing Guo and 2 others
PMID 42400244WHAT IT FOUND
Parents of babies in NICU described repeated strain across hospital stay, discharge, and home care: separation, unclear information, restricted visits, and communication gaps.
Needs shifted from emotional contact to practical skills and ongoing support.
Key findings
01Parents said NICU separation and closed contact left them uncertain about their child's condition and unable to learn caregiving.
02After early emotional needs, parents sought disease information and care skills, and after discharge they needed continuing support.
03Parents also used active coping, including seeking information, relying on family, and adapting to caregiving roles.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This is a qualitative meta-synthesis, so it reports experiences and needs, not tested effects. It included only English and Chinese studies, so themes may not fit every setting. Several included studies lacked documented ethical approval. Included studies had limited father-specific evidence. The review was not prospectively registered. Included studies varied by country and NICU management model.
Declared interests
Funded by Children's Hospital of Soochow University and Suzhou Municipal Science and Technology Bureau; authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that a particular NICU family support programme works. The review synthesises parents' experiences and needs, and it does not test whether any intervention improves outcomes.