Results of the premature birth national need-gap study.
OBJECTIVE
Family-centered care is a standard of practice in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The purpose of the study was to assess successes and opportunities for improvement with parents' experiences and involvement in their premature infants' care in NICUs.


METHODS
Researchers' surveyed 502 parents whose children were currently < or =30 months old, had been born at a gestational age < or =36 weeks and had gone through or were currently in NICUs.


RESULTS
Most parents of premature infants were reasonably satisfied with the access, attention and information received from physicians and nurses in the NICU. However, approximately one-fourth were only moderately satisfied and nearly 10% were dissatisfied.


CONCLUSIONS
While progress has been made in meeting the needs of parents in the NICU, more work needs to be carried out to improve family-centered care efforts. Specific attention should be given to providing more information and interaction opportunities for families, which may ultimately improve NICU outcomes.
Berns
S D
SD
1National Office, March of Dimes Foundation, White Plains, NY, USA. Sberns@marchofdimes.com
Boyle
M D
MD
Popper
B
B
Gooding
J S
JS
D022143:Family Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000458:organization & administration*; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D014481:United States