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Caring for the Bereaved Parents in the Nicu: Fathers - the Missing Piece of the Puzzle Publisher Pubmed



Mirlashari J1, 2 ; Nikbakht Nasrabadi A2 ; Holsti L3 ; Ghorbani F4 ; Hosseini MB5 ; Fadaei Z2
Authors
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Authors Affiliations
  1. 1. Department of Obgyn, Women's Health Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
  2. 2. School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  3. 3. Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of British Colombia, Vancouver, Canada
  4. 4. School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
  5. 5. Pediatric Health Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

Source: Journal of Perinatal and Neonatal Nursing Published:2022


Abstract

Purpose: Grief after infant death is a common experience of bereaved parents often seen in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The NICU staff tend to focus more on the mother's support, and fathers are often not treated equally as mothers. This study aimed to investigate the circumstance of caring for parents facing infant death in NICUs. Methods: Twenty-eight face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted between March 2018 and April 2019 in the northwest of Iran. Participants were selected via purposive sampling. An inductive thematic approach was used for data analysis. Results: Three main themes and 7 subthemes were extracted. The main themes were: the father - the missing piece of the puzzle in the mourning process, restricted presence of fathers due to religious and traditional beliefs, and the father - the patience stone. Conclusion: Due to cultural-religious backgrounds, traditional beliefs, structural problems, and organizational restrictions, fathers in NICUs do not receive adequate support, particularly when faced with their infant's death. Bereaved fathers need to receive more support and attention from healthcare providers. Therefore, there is a need for changing the care providers' attitudes regarding the role of fathers and the quality of support that fathers should receive in the Muslim populations. © 2022 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. All rights reserved.
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1. Silent Mourning: Infant Death and Caring for Iranian Parents Under the Influence of Religious and Socio-Cultural Factors, Journal of Religion and Health (2023)
2. Fathers: The Lost Ring in the Chain of Family-Centered Care, Advances in Neonatal Care (2018)
3. The Challenges of Implementing Family-Centered Care in Nicu From the Perspectives of Physicians and Nurses, Journal of Pediatric Nursing (2020)
4. Spiritual Needs of Families With Bereavement and Loss of an Infant in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Qualitative Study, Journal of Pain and Symptom Management (2016)
5. Parental Factors Affecting Their Participation in Decision-Making for Neonates With Life-Threatening Conditions: A Qualitative Studyparents' Participation in Decision-Making, Journal of Education and Health Promotion (2024)
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