Effects of single family room architecture on parent-infant closeness and family centered care in neonatal environments : a single-center pre-post study

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a single family room architecture in a neonatal intensive care unit (SFR-NICU) on parents’ presence, parent–infant skin-to-skin contact (SSC) and the quality of family centered care. STUDY DESIGN: Two cohorts of parents of preterm infants were compared: those in the unit before and after the move to SFR-NICU. The parents used daily diaries to report their presence and SSC, and they responded to daily text message questions about the quality of family centered care. RESULTS: Parents spent more time in the SFR-NICU, but no significant change was found in SSC. Parents rated the quality of family centered care highly in both unit architectures, without a change in rating after the move. CONCLUSION: The SFR-NICU increased parents’ presence but not SSC. The change in architecture did not affect parents’ evaluations of the quality of family centered care, which was already highly rated before the move.