Preparations for Infants` Discharge from Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Content Analysis

Introduction: With recent increased survived infants, it is considered to have the discharge plan modified with the aim of increasing survival rate and decreasing morbidity and mortality. Accordingly, the purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the preparations for discharge of infants from neonatal intensive care unit.

Materials and Method: A qualitative study (Conventional content analysis approach) was used. Data collection was done through interviews with 18 nurses, physicians and mothers and participant observation in neonatal intensive care units of university hospitals in Isfahan and Tabriz, Iran. MAXQDA, a qualitative data analysis package, was used for coding.  

Results: Two themes and six categories were identified including: Teaching mothers (motivation, educational needs, learning recourses and enabling teachings) and providing discharge criteria (maintaining neonate`s health and trust to mother`s ability).

Conclusion: The result of the study revealed that not all, but some of the preparations elaborated during the process of discharge are incomplete and must be improved by developing a discharge plan to reach the ultimate goals of neonatal intensive care unit.