PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the meaning and essence of a mother's experience of hospitalization of her newborn in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). METHODS: This study employed a qualitative research design. An interview was conducted with a mother whose newborn was hospitalized in the NICU, and the data were analyzed using Giorgi's phenomenological method. RESULTS: Five main themes and 19 formulated meanings were indentified. The 5 themes were ‘drowning in pain’, ‘just look outside the glass door’, ‘being a pillar’, ‘a deepening attachment’, and ‘prepare for nurturing with hope’. CONCLUSION: The results of this study provided an in-depth understanding of the experience of a mother with a newborn in the NICU. These results can be used in the development of a nursing intervention program that provides psychological and emotional support to the mother and family.
Glass ; Hospitalization* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Intensive Care, Neonatal* ; Methods ; Mothers ; Nursing ; Qualitative Research

Amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram (aEEG) which is a simplified form of standard EEG has been increasingly used in neonates. The aEEG method is easy to apply and to interpret and the simplicity of the method makes it feasible for "round the clock" recording. The present paper briefly introduces the signal acquisition, data analysis and clinical applications of aEEG. Then we propose a number of possible research directions in light of the domestic research in this field, in the future.
Brain Diseases ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Electroencephalography ; methods ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; methods ; Monitoring, Physiologic ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted

PURPOSE: Infants at neonatal intensive care units (NICU) are invariably exposed to various procedural and environmental stimuli. The study was performed to compare the pain responses in three NICU stimulants and to examine the clinical feasibility for NICU infants using CRIES, FLACC and PIPP. METHOD: In a correlational study, a total of 94 NICU stimulants including angio-catheter insertions, trunk-rubbings and loud noises, was observed for pain responses among 64 infants using CRIES, FLACC and PIPP. RESULTS: A significant difference was identified among the mean scores in CRIES(F(2, 91)=47.847, p=.000), FLACC(F(2, 91)=41.249, p=.000) and PIPP(F(2, 91)=16.272, p=.000) to three stimulants. In a Post-hoc Scheff test, an angio-catheter insertion showed the highest scores in CRIES, FLACC and PIPP compared to the other two stimulations. A strong correlation was identified between CRIES and FLACC in all three stimulations(.817 < r < .945) while inconsistent findings were identified between PIPP and CRIES or FLACC. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study support that CRIES and FLACC are reliable and clinically suitable pain measurements for NICU infants. Further studies are needed in data collection time-point as well as clinical feasibility on PIPP administration to assess pain response in infants, including premature infants.
Pain Measurement/*methods ; Male ; *Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; *Infant, Newborn ; Infant Behavior ; Humans ; Female

Breast Feeding ; Canada ; Caregivers ; education ; Child ; Cross Infection ; prevention & control ; Feeding Behavior ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; organization & administration ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; methods ; Neonatal Nursing ; methods ; Parents ; education ; Practice Patterns, Physicians'

PURPOSE: This study is aimed to confirm the effects of Yakson therapy on the growth and physical response of preterm infants, and maternal attachment to them compared with GHT therapy. METHOD: The design of this study is nonequivalent control group with repeated measuring by quasi experimental study. The subjects are preterm infants in 26 - 34 gestational age hospitalized in the NICU of 4 university hospitals with an experimental group of 15 and a control group of 14. Yakson therapy consists of three phases: laying a hand, caressing by hand, and laying a hand again taking 5 minutes for each phase. RESULT: As a result of administering Yakson therapy to preterm infants; the average weight gain of the Yakson group was higher than that of the GHT group, but there is no significant difference between groups. The oxygen saturation and maternal attachment difference between the Yakson and the GHT group were not significant. Significant differences in the average daily increase of oral intake and apical pulse rate were observed between the Yakson group and GHT group. CONCLUSION: These data suggested that Yakson therapy may be an effective nursing intervention which can facilitate growth and physical response of preterm infants.
Child Development ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature/*growth & development/physiology ; Intensive Care, Neonatal/*methods ; Male ; Mother-Child Relations ; Neonatal Nursing/*methods ; Pregnancy ; Therapeutic Touch/*methods

OBJECTIVEOtoacoustic emissions (OAE) and auditory brainstem responses (ABR) are tests widely used in neonatal hearing screening. This study aimed to investigate the differences and clinical value of distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) and ABR in hearing screening of high-risk neonates admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

METHODSDPOAE and ABR were measured with the Smart-OAE analyser and the Smart-EP brain-stem electric response audiometry apparatus, respectively, in 600 high-risk neonates (1,200 ears). The testing results of DPOAE and ABR were compared.

RESULTSOf the 600 neonates (1,200 ears), the incidence of ABR abnormality (78.6%, 943/1,200) was remarkably higher than that of DPOAE abnormality (22.3%, 268/1,200). Two hundred and forty-one ears (20.8%) were negative and 252 (21%) were positive in both DPOAE and ABR tests. A total of 707 ears (58.9%) presented with a discordant result in DPOAE and ABR. The false positive and false negative rates of the DPOAE test were 6.0% (16/268) and 74.1% (691/932) respectively.

CONCLUSIONSIn high-risk neonates the diagnostic value of DPOAE for identification of hearing loss, when used alone, is limited. The ABR test appears to be more reliable for hearing screening in high-risk neonates. It is suggested that hearing screening for high-risk neonates should be conducted with ABR first, followed by OAE after failure on ABR.

Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem ; physiology ; Female ; Hearing Tests ; methods ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Male ; Neonatal Screening ; methods ; Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous ; physiology

PURPOSE: The present survey was conducted to investigate the perceptions among nurses of neonatal pain and the associated use of pharmacologic measures (PMs) and nonpharmacologic comfort measures (CMs) in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Pain perception, the necessity and actual use of PMs and CMs, and their relationships were investigated and compared according to nurses' positions, educational levels, the existence of guidelines, and prior education on neonatal pain management. METHODS: Participants were 141 nurses from five NICUs at university hospitals. A questionnaire was developed by researchers based on previous studies of neonatal pain management and current practices in surveyed NICUs. Five-point Likert scales were used to assess nurses' perceptions of pain, the necessity of PMs and CMs, and their actual use in 29 painful procedures. RESULTS: The mean scores of perceived pain and the necessity of PMs and CMs were 3.68, 2.96, and 3.79 points, respectively. The actual use of PMs and CMs was 1.67 and 2.63 points, respectively. The perceived necessity of PMs correlated with the actual use of PMs (r = .316, p < .001), and CMs were performed (r = .390, p < .001). Keeping or reading guidelines, or receiving education on pain management resulted in a higher perception of the necessity of PMs. CONCLUSION: Korean nurses in NICUs often underestimate the necessity of pain relief measures and use few PMs or CMs. Therefore, systematic approaches to implement guidelines, such as adaptation of guidelines for each NICU, dissemination of guideline content to all NICU staff, and regular measurements of compliance with the guidelines, are recommended.
Adult ; *Attitude of Health Personnel ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; *Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Intensive Care, Neonatal/*methods ; Nursing Staff, Hospital/*psychology ; Pain/nursing ; Pain Management/*methods/psychology/*utilization ; Questionnaires ; Republic of Korea ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify breastfeeding practice with late preterm infants (LPIs), and to determine predictors of exclusive breastfeeding at the 12th week after discharge. METHODS: The participants were 106 mothers of LPIs hospitalized in neonatal intensive care units at two university hospitals. Data were collected between February and October, 2013. Questionnaires included characteristics of LPIs, their mothers, and feeding-related characteristics. Feeding methods were exclusive breastfeeding, mixed feeding, and formula feeding. RESULTS: Exclusive breastfeeding steadily increased from 5.7% at the 1st week to 19.8% at the 12th week, as did formula feeding from 27.3% to 67.9%. Contrarily, mixed feeding decreased from 67.0% at the 1st week to 12.3% at the 12th week. The ratio of formula feeding was higher than that of exclusive breastfeeding over time. Predictors for exclusive breastfeeding were the following: type of delivery (OR=2.96, 95%CI=1.07-8.14), feeding intolerance (OR=3.03, 95%CI=1.26-7.25) and feeding method during hospitalization (OR=7.84, 95%CI=3.15-19.53). CONCLUSION: In order to increase breastfeeding opportunities for LPIs, educational programs for gestational age-appropriate breastfeeding should be developed. The focus of breastfeeding education needs to be on mothers who delivered their LPIs through Cesarean-section and LPIs who had feeding intolerance or were fed only formula during hospitalization.
Breast Feeding* ; Education ; Feeding Methods ; Hospitalization ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Mothers ; Prevalence*

Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature, Diseases ; therapy ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; methods ; Patient Outcome Assessment ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: To examine the prevalence of Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) colonization (CDC) and potential neonatal determinants of CDC in hospitalized preterm infants. METHODS: Fecal samples were serially collected within 72 h after birth and at 1, 2, and 4-6 weeks of age from preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) of two different university hospitals. Total bacterial DNA was extracted from each fecal sample from 49 infants, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed with primers for the 16S gene of C. difficile and the toxin A and toxin B genes. The correlation between the results of C. difficile PCR assays and the clinical characteristics of the infants was analyzed. RESULTS: The prevalence rates of CDC were 34.7, 37.2, 41.3, and 53.1% within 72 h after birth and at 1, 2, and 4-6 weeks of age, respectively. The toxin positivity rate was significantly higher in the infants with persistent CDC than in those with transient CDC (8/12 [66.7%] vs. 6/25 [24.5%] (p=0.001). Among the various neonatal factors, only the feeding method during the first week after birth was significantly associated with persistent CDC. Exclusive breast-milk feeding (EBMF) significantly decreased the risk of persistent CDC compared to formula or mixed feeding (adjusted odds ratio: 0.133, 95% confidence interval: 0.02-0.898, p=0.038). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of CDC increased with the duration of hospitalization in preterm infants in the NICU. EBMF during the first week after birth in hospitalized preterm infants may protect against persistent CDC.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Clostridium ; Clostridium difficile ; Colon ; DNA, Bacterial ; Feeding Methods ; Hospitalization ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Parturition ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence