Effect of Discharge Planning Program on Stress and Satisfaction of Preterm Infant Mothers in NICU

Abstract

Abstract: Background & aim: Transfer, as pass or move from one state, condition or place another, which may be defined as a period of vulnerability in relation to changes in health stauts , role relationships, expectations or abilities,. Transfer from hospital to home for family newborn baby is big challenge. Premature and low birth weight infants are one of the high risk population in the community. After discharge, they are more vulnerable need more care. The aim of discharge planning is to preparing families for the care of premature infants at home after discharge. Discharge planning is development of a discharge plan for the patient prior to leave the hospital, with the aim of containing costs and improving patient outcomes. Discharge planning is a routine feature of health system in many countries. The aim is to reduce hospital length of stay and unplanned red mission to hospital, and improve the coordination of services following disc hare from hospital thereby bridging the gap between hospital and place to family after returning home. Materials & Methods: a randomized controlled trial study was conducted on 92 mothers of preterm infants (gestational age 32-36 weeks) In neonatal ICU of Tabriz AL Zahra hospital in 2013. Discharge planning was done intervention group and mothers of control group received that routine and usual. Cares. Discharge planning program includes two group training sessions with practical with practical training and lectures, and videotape training for mothers of premature infants. Maternal stress was measured in both admission and discharge time in two groups by using parental stress scale. Maternal satisfaction was measured in both admission and discharge time in two groups by using parental satisfaction questionnaire (Likert scale). Data analysis was performed using the T-test 2 test. Results: the findings that was no stsistically significant difference about tate of stress between 2 group before the intervention. However, after implementation of discharge planning, maternal stress was lower in invention group than control group (p≤0/014). There was no ststisically significant difference about rate of satisfaction between 2 groups before the intervention. However, after implementation of discharge planning, the maternal satisfaction was higer in intervention group than control group (p=0/001). Conclusion: implementation of discharge planning reduces stress levels and increase the satisfaction of mothers of premature infants. This implementation could facilitate to return infants from acute care units a family.