Matching Items (3)
Description
Posttraumatic stress disorder is a psychiatric disorder that can develop after exposure to a traumatic event, and it can cause affected individuals to relive the associated event through flashbacks or nightmares. This project centers around the prevalence of PTSD in parents of infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. Past research has shown that these parents are at increased risk of developing traumatic stress symptoms, with affliction rates as high as 53% in mothers and 33% in fathers (Hua et al., 2018). With this statistic as a catalyst, the present text has a variety of aims, all hinging on the goal of easing the NICU journey for parents. This thesis explores the different types of therapy used in the treatment of traumatic stress, with a focus on trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) as these were shown to be the most effective in past research. A compilation of resources was also gathered that can now be distributed to NICU parents, including information on PTSD, how to access a therapist, and other helpful articles. An additional component of this project included the administration of a survey to NICU parents to gain a better understanding of their stress levels, what resources were most helpful to them, what barriers limited their ability to seek help, and their thoughts on a text-messaging resource service. Institutional IRB approval was received for this survey. The survey indicated that parents were very stressed when admitted to the NICU, but their stress levels tend to decrease over time. Parents also faced a variety of barriers, with the need to return to work or maintain a busy schedule being the most pervasive. Additionally, an analysis was completed on federal legislation relating to healthcare and the NICU experience. Furthermore, special considerations for limited English proficient (LEP) families were also considered. The paper concludes with steps that should be taken, in both research and action, to improve on the NICU experience for at-risk parents. The implementation of a text-messaging resource service for NICU parents was desired by survey respondents and is a recommended next step. Changes in policy surrounding insurance reform and longer, paid family leave would also be beneficial. Training of NICU staff on how to provide resources and communicate sensitively and effectively with parents is also crucial if the current situation is to be improved. There are definitive steps that should be taken immediately to ease the journey and provide comfort for NICU parents.
ContributorsBryant, Tyler (Co-author) / Beck, Kelsey (Co-author) / Puruhito, Krista (Thesis director) / Visconti, Kari (Committee member) / Historical, Philosophical & Religious Studies (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor, Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
This study aimed to quantify glare induced into the NICU through phototherapy devices commonly used to treat neonatal jaundice. The blue light associated with the devices can cause a number of physiological affects including melatonin suppression, disturbances of one's circadian rhythm, and has the potential to lead to risk factors of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in the long term. The study found that the phototherapy device tested emitted a sufficient amount of light to be considered 'disturbing' using the DeBoer scale. Due to this, phototherapy devices in the future should take into consideration the minimization of light emitted which is not directly treating the infant on the device to prevent potential physiological effects that nurses may experience.
ContributorsSnelling, Timothy Michael (Author) / Muthuswamy, Jitendran (Thesis director) / VanAuker, Michael (Committee member) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Families that are discharged from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) oftentimes need additional support which is provided by NICU follow-up home visitation programs. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic caused numerous programs to shift to telehealth visitation. Following the pandemic, many of those home visitation programs continue to offer telehealth support while transitioning back to in-person care. This qualitative study aims to analyze parent attitudes toward telehealth and in-person care delivery. Through analysis, 6 main themes were generated: staff support, telehealth challenges, telehealth convenience, telehealth engagement, in-person engagement, and family preferences. The hybrid participants preferred in-person visitation due to better learning and interactions, while the telehealth group leaned toward telehealth visitation for its convenience. Nevertheless, most parents desired a hybrid mode of service delivery. Both groups shared similar thoughts about the effectiveness and convenience of telehealth. Hence, telehealth is an effective method of service delivery for home visitation programs from a parent perspective. However, depending on the family and their needs, in-person services could be encouraged to further develop the learning experience and the parent-provider rapport. For a majority of families, hybrid support provides the most suitable combination of both care models.
ContributorsVirk, Abdullah (Author) / Berkel, Cady (Thesis director) / Harrison, Jennifer (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2024-05