Stress & Anxiety Experience of Mothers with Newborns Admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit & Nursing Support
Date
2016-12-26
Authors
Murad Mehdawi
Hussam Kittaneh
Ahmad Bassam
Ibrahim Soaiti
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Abstract
Introduction: Stress is a complex phenomenon conceptualized in various ways. The term stress is often used to describe perceived stressors, such as anxiety, depression, anger, and fear. Parents of premature infants experience multiple stressors related to preterm birth, the medical condition of the postpartum mother and/or infant, admission of their infant to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and perceived vulnerability of the infant, in addition to stressors associated with the normal transition process to parenthood. Previous researchers emphasized on many concepts that affect parent’s response and care for their preterm infants. A major role is light, sound, and caregiving interventions as a main environmental stressors that are harmful to preterm infants in NICUs , more factors such as prenatal and perinatal experiences , the infants’ illness, appearance, and treatment, concerns about outcomes, loss of parental role , and , interactions with health providers .
Aims : This study targets stress experienced by mothers in the NICU, specifically, focused on mothers’ stress factors in the NICU environment.
Method: Quantitative , cross-sectional and convenient sampling methods were used to accomplish the study targets , the sample size was 150 participants , it took a place in five major cities in West Bank which are (Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah, Qalqilya , Tulkarem) , these cities were chosen because they represent the majority of west bank population , and contain advanced medical center . Neonates included were of birth weight of 1,300g , gestation of less than 34 weeks , on the other hand , neonates with gestational age less than 24 weeks were excluded. Paper Questionnaires were used as a data collection methods with teaching mothers about them, data collection started from 1st of May to the 18th of August.
Results : The data were analyzed by using Microsoft Word 2010 and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 2010 , parent-infant relationship was the major stressor with a percentage of 29% , secondly were sights and sounds , and infant appearance with an equal percentage of 25% , and the least affecting stressor was environment with a percentage of 21% .
Conclusion: The relationship that professionals develop with the parents on behalf of their child is built upon trust. It requires time, information, honesty, and compassion. All that is done for families as they experience these crises ultimately impacts their relationship with their child and their functionality as a family. In the end, the goal is the best interest of the patient, and the patient lives within a family. The goal is not just survival; it is the infant's well-being and quality of life which matter. For every family there should be someone who asks, "Is there anything we can do?" and then does it.