Öz
Objective: The aim of this study was describe mother-reported family needs across three clinically distinct neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) settings within a single tertiary hospital and to explore whether theory-based Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Family Needs Inventory (NFNI) item-group summary scores showed between-setting differences.
Materials and Methods: This single-centre cross-sectional study included 116 Turkish-speaking mothers enrolled after their infants had been hospitalised for at least 7 days between February and May 2022. Mothers completed the 56-item NFNI, which was analysed as five theory-based item-group mean scores: assurance, information, proximity, comfort, and support. Item-group scores were compared across NICU settings using Kruskal–Wallis tests, with Bonferroni-corrected post-hoc comparisons when appropriate. Item-level priorities and mother-nominated priority items were summarised descriptively.
Results: Overall mean theory-based item-group scores were highest for proximity (3.63±0.44), assurance (3.60±0.39), and information (3.49±0.47). The only detectable unadjusted between-setting signal was observed for proximity (H=7.631, p=0.022, ε²=0.050), with higher scores in NICU 3 than NICU 1 (median 4.00 vs 3.62; Bonferroni-corrected p=0.005). Adjusted estimates were attenuated and imprecise in exploratory models with limited adjustment for gestational age or birth weight, length of stay, and maternal education. The highest-ranked items concerned best possible care, honest answers, daily physician communication, and information about the infant’s care.
Conclusion: Mother-reported needs clustered around proximity, assurance, and information. The proximity finding should be interpreted as a context-linked and access-dependent pattern rather than evidence of an independent unit effect.
Kaynakça
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