title: Transition of premature infants from hospital to home life.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To conduct an integrative literature review to studies that focus on the transition of premature infants from neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to home.
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature search was performed in Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CIN AHL), PubMed, and MEDLINE to identify studies consisting on the transition of premature infants from hospital to home life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The search yielded seven articles that emphasized the need for home visits, child and family assessment methods, methods of keeping contact with health care providers, educational and support groups, and described the nurse's role in the transition program. The strategy to ease the transition differed in each article.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Home visits by a nurse were a key component by providing education, support, and nursing care. A program therefore should consist of providing parents of premature infants with home visits implemented by a nurse or staying in contact with a nurse (e.g., via videoconference).
authors: glope002@fiu.edu
authors: Greta L
authors: GL
authors: Lopez
authors: Kathryn Hoehn
authors: KH
authors: Anderson
authors: Johanna
authors: J
authors: Feutchinger
mesh_terms: D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D006792:House Calls; D006801:Humans; D007224:Infant Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D017283:Neonatal Nursing / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D024802:Nurse's Role; D016487:Parenting; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D012657:Self-Help Groups