title: Perceptions of webcams in the neonatal intensive care unit: here's looking at you kid!
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many tertiary neonatal units employ a restricted visiting policy. Webcams have previously been implemented in the neonatal unit setting in several countries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to determine the views from parents, physicians, and nursing staff before implementation of a webcam system.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire-based study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 101 responses. Parental computer usage was 83%. The majority of parents indicated that they would use the webcam system. Parents felt that a webcam system would reduce stress. Members of the nursing staff were most concerned about privacy risks (68%), compared with parents who were confident in the security of these systems (92%, p-value < 0.001). Seventy two percent of nurses felt that a webcam system would increase the stress levels of staff as compared with less than 20% of the physicians (p-value < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of parents who completed the questionnaire have positive attitudes toward implementation of a webcam system in the NICU. Education of health care staff is required before implementation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Cork University Maternity Hospital, Ireland.
authors.forename: Gavin A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Hawkes
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University College Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Vicki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Livingstone
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Cork University Maternity Hospital, Ireland.
authors.forename: C Anthony
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Cork University Maternity Hospital, Ireland.
authors.forename: Eugene Michael
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Dempsey
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001292:Attitude to Computers; D001294:Attitude to Health; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D017283:Neonatal Nursing; D009359:Neonatology; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D010290:Parents; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D057211:Webcasts as Topic