The effect of narrative writing of mothers on their satisfaction with care in the neonatal intensive care unit.
OBJECTIVE
This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of narrative writing on the satisfaction of the mothers with care in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) during their neonates' hospitalization.


METHODS
This quasi-experimental study with pretest and posttest were administered to a sample size of 70 mothers with preterm neonates. The Neonatal Index of Parental Satisfaction questionnaire was used. Descriptive and analytical statistics were used for data analysis.


RESULTS
The satisfaction level of the mothers was 113.1 ± 17.5 on the 3rd day and 102.3 ± 25.6 on the 10th day of the study in the control group. Paired t-test (p values < 0.011) in the control group showed a significant difference in the satisfaction level of the mothers. In the intervention group, the satisfaction level of the mothers was 107.5 ± 21.5 on the 3rd day and 137 ± 15.2 on the 10th day of the study. Paired t-test (p values < 0.001) showed a significant difference in the satisfaction level of the mothers between the 3rd and 10th day of the study. The results of independent t-test showed a significant difference in satisfaction between the intervention and control groups on the 10th day of the study (p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
We suggest that narrative writing may be considered as an efficient supportive intervention to increase the mothers' satisfaction in the NICUs.
a Division of Neonatology , Department of Pediatrics, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
Maliheh
M
Kadivar
b Center for Nursing Care Research, Iran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
Naiemeh
N
Seyedfatemi
c School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences , Shahroud , Iran , and.
Negarin
N
Akbari
d Iran University of Medical Sciences University , Tehran , Iran.
Hamid
H
Haghani
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D033262:Narration; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014956:Writing; D055815:Young Adult
Narritive; neonatal intensive care unit; satisfaction