Needs Perceived by Parents of Preterm Infants: Integrating Care Into the Early Discharge Process

The birth of a preterm infant can have a great emotional impact on the parents when the length of stay is long. Early discharge programs facilitate the transition to the home and have beneficial effects on both the parents and children. However, only a few studies have been conducted to identify the real needs of parents of preterm infants and to determine whether early discharge programs meet such needs. The main objective of this study was to identify the experiences and obstacles, during hospitalization and after discharge, of fathers and mothers of preterm infants who did or did not participate in an early discharge program. A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was performed and included 23 parents of preterm infants. Thematic analysis was performed with the assistance of Atlas.ti 6.2 software. Two main themes were identified: the emotional experience and obstacles to care during hospitalization and the emotional experiences and obstacles at home related to the early discharge program. The results indicated that preterm birth initially has a deep emotional impact on parents. There is a remarkable lack of coordination regarding the information provided to parents on their infant's health status. Being first-time parents seems to be an important factor, although further evidence supporting this notion should be provided. Parents considered early discharge programs to be very useful in addressing the emotional aspects of hospitalization and the acquisition of neonatal care skills. Parents claim that the coordination and the information provided should be improved.