Web Camera Use of Mothers and Fathers When Viewing Their Hospitalized Neonate.
BACKGROUND
Mothers and fathers of neonates hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) differ in their experiences related to NICU visitation.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the frequency and length of maternal and paternal viewing of their hospitalized neonates via a Web camera.


METHODS
A total of 219 mothers and 101 fathers used the Web camera that allows 24/7 NICU viewing from September 1, 2010, to December 31, 2012, which included 40 mother and father dyads. We conducted a review of the Web camera's Web site log-on records in this nonexperimental, descriptive study.


RESULTS
Mothers and fathers had a significant difference in the mean number of log-ons to the Web camera system (P = .0293). Fathers virtually visited the NICU less often than mothers, but there was not a statistical difference between mothers and fathers in terms of the mean total number of minutes viewing the neonate (P = .0834) or in the maximum number of minutes of viewing in 1 session (P = .6924). Patterns of visitations over time were not measured.


CONCLUSIONS
Web camera technology could be a potential intervention to aid fathers in visiting their neonates. Both parents should be offered virtual visits using the Web camera and oriented regarding how to use the Web camera.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings are important to consider when installing Web cameras in a NICU. Future research should continue to explore Web camera use in NICUs.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Dr Rhoads), College of Nursing (Drs Green, Mitchell, and Pate), and Department of Biostatistics, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health (Mr Gauss), University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock; and Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock (Dr Green).
Sarah J
SJ
Rhoads
Angela
A
Green
C Heath
CH
Gauss
Anita
A
Mitchell
Barbara
B
Pate
D005220:Fathers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015144:Southeastern United States; D014741:Video Recording