Original Research

Lived experiences of parents of premature babies in the intensive care unit in a private hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa

Erika Steyn, Marie Poggenpoel, Chris Myburgh
Curationis | Vol 40, No 1 | a1698 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/curationis.v40i1.1698 | © 2017 Erika Steyn, Marie Poggenpoel, Chris Myburgh | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 14 April 2016 | Published: 28 February 2017

About the author(s)

Erika Steyn, Department of Nursing Science, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
Marie Poggenpoel, Department of Nursing Science, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
Chris Myburgh, Department of Educational Psychology, University of Johannesburg, South Africa

Abstract

Background: Many of the 15 million premature babies born worldwide every year survive because of advanced medical interventions. Their parents have intense experiences when their babies are in the intensive care unit (ICU), and these have an impact on their thoughts, feelings and relationships, including their relationships with their premature babies.
Objectives: The aim of the study was to explore and describe the lived experiences of parents of premature babies in an ICU.
Method: Research design was qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual. A purposive sample of parents with premature babies in an ICU in a private hospital in Johannesburg Gauteng in South Africa was used. Eight parents, four mothers and four fathers, married and either Afrikaans or English-speaking, were included in the study. Data were collected by conducting in-depth phenomenological interviews with them and making use of field notes. Trustworthiness was ensured by implementing the strategies of credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability. Ethical principles such as autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence and justice were adhered to throughout the research process.
Results: Thematic analyses were utilised to analyse the data. Two themes in the experiences of parents with premature babies in ICU became apparent. Parents experienced thoughts, emotions and hope while their premature babies were in the ICU as well as challenges in their relationships and these challenges influenced their experiences.
Recommendations: Mindfulness of intensive care nurses should be facilitated so that intensive care nurses can promote the mental health of parents with premature babies in the ICU.
Conclusion: Parents with premature babies in the ICU have thoughts and emotional experiences which include hope and they affect parents’ relationships.

Keywords

Lived Experiences; Parents; Premature Babies; Intensive Care; Private Hospital

Metrics

Total abstract views: 5581
Total article views: 9177

 

Crossref Citations

1. THE EFFECT OF EDUCATION BASED ON THEORY OF PLANNED BEHAVIOR ON THE INTENTION AND BEHAVIOR OF KANGAROO MOTHER CARE IN MOTHERS OF PREMATURE INFANTS: A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY
Saeedeh Nemati, Roghieh Bayrami, Alireza Didarloo, Kamran Dehgan
Nursing and Midwifery Journal  vol: 22  issue: 12  first page: 1072  year: 2024  
doi: 10.61186/unmf.22.12.1072

2. Work-related support needs of registered nurses in a neonatal intensive care unit in the Tshwane District
Funzani Nefale, Nombulelo V. Sepeng, Roinah Ngunyulu
Health SA Gesondheid  vol: 27  year: 2022  
doi: 10.4102/hsag.v27i0.1764

3. Work-related support needs of registered nurses in a neonatal intensive care unit in the Tshwane District
Funzani Nefale, Nombulelo V. Sepeng, Roinah Ngunyulu
Health SA Gesondheid  vol: 28  year: 2023  
doi: 10.4102/hsag.v28i0.1764

4. Family Resilience as an Emerging Concept in Neonatology
Geneviève Laporte, Sophie Sergerie-Richard, Christine Genest, Marilyn Aita
Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing  year: 2023  
doi: 10.1097/JPN.0000000000000761

5. Experiences of mothers with preterm babies at a Mother and Baby Unit of a tertiary hospital: A descriptive phenomenological study
Alberta Yemotsoo Lomotey, Victoria Bam, Abigail Kusi‐Amponsah Diji, Ernest Asante, Hannah Boatemaa Asante, Joyce Osei
Nursing Open  vol: 7  issue: 1  first page: 150  year: 2020  
doi: 10.1002/nop2.373

6. Parents’ Experience of Having an Infant in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Qualitative Study
Shahd H Rihan, Laila M Mohamadeen, Sara A Zayadneh, Furqan M Hilal, Hidaia A Rashid , Neveen M Azzam , Dua'a J Khalaf , Eman F Badran , Reema R Safadi
Cureus  year: 2021  
doi: 10.7759/cureus.16747

7. Maternal experiences of caring for preterm infants in a vulnerable South African population
Kristen Buys, Berna Gerber
Health SA Gesondheid  vol: 26  year: 2021  
doi: 10.4102/hsag.v26i0.1549

8. Understanding the Parental Realities of Caring for Premature Newborns in Rwanda
Olive Mukanshimiyimana, Ingabire Clementine, Mukasine Anne Marie, John Peter Ndikubwimana, Louis Ngabonzima, Hakizimana Leonard, Manishimwe Godeline, Dusabirema Immaculee
International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology  first page: 981  year: 2025  
doi: 10.38124/ijisrt/25nov732

9. Parental experiences of caring for preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit, Limpopo Province: a descriptive qualitative study exploring the cultural determinants
Madimetja J. Nyaloko, Welma Lubbe, Salaminah S. Moloko-Phiri, Khumoetsile D. Shopo
BMC Health Services Research  vol: 24  issue: 1  year: 2024  
doi: 10.1186/s12913-024-11117-6

10. Lived Experience of Mothers Having Preterm Newborns in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Wolaita Sodo University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital Southern Ethiopia: A Phenomenological Study
Worku Mimani Minuta, Temesgen Lera, Dereje Haile, Abebe Sorsa Badacho, Befekadu Bekele, Abera Gezume Ganta, Getachew Nigussie Bolado, Begidu Bashe
Research and Reports in Neonatology  vol: Volume 13  first page: 1  year: 2023  
doi: 10.2147/RRN.S417173

11. Maternal social support and resilience in caring for preterm newborns at the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU): A qualitative study
Sabina Eduku, Emma Annan, Mary Ani Amponsah
Heliyon  vol: 10  issue: 14  first page: e34731  year: 2024  
doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34731

12. The impact of telenursing on hope and perceived self-efficacy of the mothers of premature infants after discharge from the NICU
Sogol Bahmanpour, Azam Shirinabadi Farahani, Manijeh Nourian, Malihe Nasiri, Lida Nikfarid, Homayoon Bana Derakhshan
Journal of Neonatal Nursing  vol: 29  issue: 1  first page: 164  year: 2023  
doi: 10.1016/j.jnn.2022.05.001

13. Chinese Parents' Lived Experiences of having Preterm Infants in NICU: A Qualitative Study
Xiaoyan Yu, Jun Zhang, Lu Yuan
Journal of Pediatric Nursing  vol: 50  first page: e48  year: 2020  
doi: 10.1016/j.pedn.2019.11.002

14. Health workers’ views on factors affecting caregiver engagement with bubble CPAP
Sangwani Salimu, Mai-Lei Woo Kinshella, Marianne Vidler, Mwai Banda, Laura Newberry, Queen Dube, Elizabeth M. Molyneux, David M. Goldfarb, Kondwani Kawaza, Alinane Linda Nyondo-Mipando
BMC Pediatrics  vol: 20  issue: 1  year: 2020  
doi: 10.1186/s12887-020-02088-8

15. Mothers’ quality of life delivering kangaroo mother care at Malawian hospitals: a qualitative study
Alinane Linda Nyondo-Mipando, Mai-Lei Woo Kinshella, Tamanda Hiwa, Sangwani Salimu, Mwai Banda, Marianne Vidler, Elizabeth Molyneux, Queen Dube, David M. Goldfarb, Kondwani Kawaza
Health and Quality of Life Outcomes  vol: 19  issue: 1  year: 2021  
doi: 10.1186/s12955-021-01823-8

16. Prematüre Bebeklerde Kanguru Bakımının Anne-Bebek Bağlanmasına ve Emzirmeye Etkisi
Ayşe KABASAKAL, Yeter KİTİŞ
Sağlık Akademisi Kastamonu  vol: 7  issue: 2  first page: 260  year: 2022  
doi: 10.25279/sak.723534

17. Diversity of Parent Emotions and Physician Responses During End-of-Life Conversations
Sanne Prins, Annemiek J. Linn, Anton H.L.C. van Kaam, Moniek van de Loo, Job B.M. van Woensel, Marc van Heerde, Peter H. Dijk, Martin C.J. Kneyber, Matthijs de Hoog, Sinno H.P. Simons, Aranka A. Akkermans, Ellen M.A. Smets, Mirjam A. de Vos
Pediatrics  vol: 152  issue: 3  year: 2023  
doi: 10.1542/peds.2022-061050