title: Mothers' perceptions of the quality of their infants' back transfer: pilot study results.
abstract: This pilot study was designed to test an instrument measuring mothers' perceptions of the quality of the back-transfer experience from a neonatal intensive care unit in a tertiary medical center to a community hospital. Forty-one mothers completed a questionnaire that contained the 24-item NICU/Community Hospital Transfer Quality Scale, a 1-item measure of stress associated with the overall experience, and other variables that might affect the transfer experience. Transfer quality was strongly correlated with the overall stress of the transfer (r = .61, p < .001). That is, the higher the perceived transfer quality, the less stress the mother associated with the transfer. This instrument had a test-retest reliability of r = .82 (p < .001, n = 23) and a Chronbach's alpha of .84. Comments made by mothers indicated that communication with health care providers is a very important but sometimes inadequately addressed component of the transfer experience. Nurses can play a key role in facilitating communication between the family and health care providers in both the tertiary and community settings. Four goals for enhancing communication between parents and health care providers are described.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Flanagan
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Slattery
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Chase
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Meade
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Cronenwett
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006764:Hospitals, Community / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000592:standards*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D010360:Patient Transfer / Q000592:standards*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires