Parental perspectives on technology use to enhance communication and closeness during the COVID-19 parental presence restrictions

OBJECTIVE: To explore parental perspectives on the use of technology in neonatal intensive care units (NICU), and its impact during COVID-19 parental presence restrictions. METHODS: Co-designed online survey targeting parents of infants admitted to a Canadian NICU from March 1st, 2020 until March 5th, 2021. RESULTS: Parents (n = 117) completed the survey from 38 NICUs. Large variation in policies regarding parental permission to use technology across sites was reported. Restrictive use of technology was reported as a source of parental stress. While families felt that technology helped them feel close to their infant when they could not be in the NICU, it did not replace being in-person. CONCLUSION: Large variation in policies were reported. Despite concerns about devices in NICUs, evidence on how to mitigate these concerns exists. Benefits of using technology to enhance parental experiences appear substantial. Future study is needed to inform recommendations on technology use in the NICU.