title: Lived Experience of Caregivers of Family-Centered Care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: "Evocation of Being at Home".
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In recent decades, family-centered care (FCC) has come to be known, accepted, and reported as the best care strategy for admitted children and their families. However, in spite of the increasing application of this approach, the experiences of the caregivers have not yet been studied.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study aimed at the description and interpretation of the FCC experience in two neonatal intensive care units (NICU) at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted through the hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 professional and familial caregivers, and their interactions were observed in three work shifts. The interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. After observations, field notes were also written. Finally, the data were analyzed through van Manen's methodology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One of the essential themes that emerged in this study was the "evocation of being at home" among familial and even professional caregivers. This theme had three subthemes: i.e., "meta-family interaction," "comprehensive support," and "reconstruction of a normal family." Accordingly, FCC eliminated borders between professional and non-professional caregivers and built close relationships among them in the NICU. It also provided for the needs of neonates, their families, and even professional caregivers through perceived and received support.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Parents of the neonates admitted to the NICU experience hard moments. They not only play the role of primary caregivers, but they also receive the care. Focusing on the different meanings of this care from the caregivers' points of view and having managers provide certain requirements can guarantee the establishment of comprehensive care for clients and proper support for the staff in this unit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hadian Shirazi
authors.affiliation: Community Based Psychiatric Care Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Farkhondeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sharif
authors.affiliation: Community Based Psychiatric Care Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mahnaz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rakhshan
authors.affiliation: Neonatology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Narjes
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pishva
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Faezeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jahanpour
keywords: Family-Centered Care; Hermeneutic Phenomenology; Neonatal Intensive Care Unit