Nurses' experiences working with families in an NICU during implementation of family-focused developmental care.
OBJECTIVE
To explore and describe nurses' experiences while working with parents and infants receiving family-focused developmental care (FFDC), to gain insight into the process of changing from a traditional model of care to FFDC.


METHODS
The qualitative design was based on Spradley's method.


METHODS
Data were collected by interviewing ten nurses who worked in an NICU during a pilot study of FFDC. Transcripts were analyzed using Spradley's domain analysis.


RESULTS
Four themes describe aspects of the transition from traditional care to FFDC: (1) negative experiences of FFDC, (2) transitions central to partnering with parents, (3) positive experiences of parental participation, and (4) organizational transitions necessary for the move to a family-centered model of care.


CONCLUSIONS
Learning to share responsibility with families will require change in the NICU culture as well as in nurses' role identity.
Heermann
J A
JA
University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing, Nebraska Health Systems, Omaha, USA. jheerman@unmc.edu
Wilson
M E
ME
D017028:Caregivers / Q000193:education*; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology; D003625:Data Collection; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007224:Infant Care / Q000379:methods; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000379:methods*; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D017283:Neonatal Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity