Socio-economic and psychological challenges experienced by caregivers of babies admitted at Princess Marina hospital neonatal intensive care unit Gaborone, Botswana.
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Date
2024
Authors
Ketshabathupa, Boineelo
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The University of Zambia
Abstract
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) has been denoted as a place of uncertainty, fear, anxiety and sorrow as the experience of having a baby admitted to the NICUis seldom unexpected, traumatic and demanding. Previous studies have discovered that families of NICU infants often experience various challenges following the birth of a baby requiring specialised care. Limited information is available in Botswana about the challenges encountered by caregivers during the period of NICU hospitalisation, as few local studies conducted mostly focused on difficulties faced by families of premature neonates. This study aimed to assess thesocio-economic and psychological challenges experienced by caregivers of babies admitted to Princess Marina Hospital NICU, and explored their coping strategies. A descriptive phenomenological study design was used to assess those challenges. In-depth interviews with ten mothers of babies admitted, 5 fathers and 2 grandmothers were conducted in private rooms within the postnatal ward and others at their homes, who were not accessible at the studysite( 4 fathers and 1 grandmother). Purposive sampling with data saturation determined the samplesize. 17 interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify themes in the data and 8 themes were extracted which included: the challenges of caregiving in the face of adversity, the struggles of caregivers amidst isolation and limited support, emotional and religious displacement in healthcare settings, cultural expectations and responsibilities of fathers in healthcare context, financial struggles and access to basic needs, healthcare staffing and service quality in neonatal care, the psychological struggles of caregivers amidst separation, stress and systemic challenges, as well as coping strategies. Findings revealed that the socio-economic and psychological challenges experienced by caregivers are complex and vary per family. Caregivers experiences were impacted by a range of factors including their proximity to the facility, the nature of their family relationships and support systems as well astheir financial circumstances amongst others. Consequently, some facility issues exacerbated the challenges incurred by NICU caregivers and hence formed the most significant component of the study findings. The provision of social and emotional support can act in the best interest of not only caregivers but also lead to improved health outcomes for neonates. Measures including staffing consideration, incorporating FCC and regular training of staff are also mandatory to achieve sustainable and satisfactory neonatal care.
Keywords: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Caregivers, Challenges, Healthcare Professionals, Experiences, Psychological, Social, Economic
Description
Thesis of Master of Science in Neonatal Nursing.