Participation of Families and Nurses in Family-Centered Cares in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Preterm neonates are generally admitted in intensive care unit (NICU) due to respiratory distresses and immaturity problems. In family-centered care notion, families engage in providing care services to their neonates so that they continually attend in NICUs with no limitation. This study aims to evaluate the participation of families and nurses in family-centered care of neonates in NICU. This is a descriptive study conducted on 150 mothers with neonates admitted in NICU and 100 nurses working in the NICU of hospitals affiliated to the Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. Data was collected using demographic information questionnaire as well as adjusted questionnaire for the participation of nurses and families in family-centered cares and was analyzes using SPSS 20 and descriptive and inferential tests. There was no significant relationship between the scores of family-centered care dimensions and the demographic variables of nurses and families. The maximum and minimum scores obtained by nurses and families belonged to the dimensions of the assessment of neonates' growth and family support, respectively. Nurses and mothers obtained low scores in the family support dimension of family-centered care. Therefore, arranging training workshops aiming at strengthening and promoting family supports seems necessary.