Parental experiences in neonatal intensive care unit in Ethiopia: a phenomenological study

INTRODUCTION: Neonatal intensive care unit is important to save the lives of a sick neonate; however, parents are challenged by several stressful conditions during their stay. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the lived experiences of parents in neonatal intensive care units in Ethiopia. METHODS: We used a phenomenological study design. The data were collected using an in-depth interview method from purposively selected parents. In addition, we followed a thematic analysis approach and used Open Code Software Version 4.02 to process the data. RESULTS: In this study, 18 parents were interviewed. The researchers have identified six themes. Parents complained of psychological problems like anxiety, stress, worries, hopelessness, and a state of confusion. In addition, anger, crying, sadness, frustration, dissatisfaction, regret, disappointment, feeling bad, self-blaming, nervousness, disturbance, and lack of self-control were major emotional problems raised by the parents. Parents expressed that health care providers showed indiscipline, lack of commitment, and uncooperative behaviour. Likewise, shortage of medicines, money, and limited time to visit their neonates were the other concerns of many parents. At the same time, parents were provided minimal information and limited cooperation from health care providers. CONCLUSION: Parents whose infants admitted to the NICU were suffered from various psychological and emotional problems. Researchers recommend that health care providers should be supported parents with psycho-emotional problems, strengthen parents–healthcare workers' interaction, and scale up neonatal intensive care unit services to the primary health care centres. KEY MESSAGES: Parents whose infants admitted to the NICU were suffered from psychological and emotional problems. Poor NICU environment, shortage of equipment, long hospital stay, the presence of pandemic COVID-19, and lack of parental involvement in the care were identified barriers that affected parents' stay.