[The premature baby and its family].
Two clinical nurse specialists in maternal-child health at the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital in Montreal initiated a nursing research study to describe the coping abilities and perceptions of families with premature infants of less than 36 weeks gestation. The project is a descriptive and qualitative study and reflects a representative sampling of clients served at this hospital. The research sample consisted of 12 families with a premature infant (experimental group) and 17 families with a full-term infant (control group). The Dorothy E. Johnson conceptual model was used for data analysis. The researchers asked clients in the special care and regular nurseries to complete two questionnaires. Each parent responded to the Family Assessment Device (FAD) questionnaire prior to their infant's discharge from hospital. Once the infant reached four months corrected age, the parents completed the Infant Temperament Questionnaire (ITQ). Data in the same test group were compared, as well as data between the two groups. The FAD results showed that both types of families were able to maintain their family dynamics; bond with their infant; find appropriate resources; problem solve; make decisions; express their emotions, and clearly identify their roles. In addition, the ITQ results indicated that both groups of parents had a positive perception of their newborn infant. The results of this research project differ from the data found in the literature. The authors associate their results with the new approaches to nursing care in nurseries, clinical settings and communities. This new approach assists families in this stressful situation by providing an efficient means of family support.
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Lanouette
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St-Jacques
D005190:Family; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D015399:Nursing Research; D010287:Parent-Child Relations
Le bébé prématuré et sa famille.