J Psy Nurs. 2020; 11(4): 261-267 | DOI: 10.14744/phd.2020.65668

Emotional closeness in neonatal intensive care units: A qualitative study

Ayþe Gürol¹, Kadir Þerafettin Tekgündüz², Serap Ejder Apay³, Süreyya Özdemir⁴, Ramazan Güven^5
1Department of Nursing, Erzurum Technical University Faculty of Health Sciences, Erzurum, Turkey
²Department of Neonatology, Atatürk University Faculty of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey
³Department of Midwifery, Atatürk University Faculty of Health Science, Erzurum, Turkey
⁴Medical Services and Techniques, Atatürk University Health Services Vocational School, Erzurum, Turkey
⁵Department of Emergency Medicine, Health Science University, Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Training and Research Hospital, Ýstanbul, Turkey

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to explore perceptions and experiences of mothers with regard to the barriers and facilitators to emotional closeness and mothers’ feelings of emotional closeness when their newborn infants are cared for in neonatal intensive care units.
METHODS: This study applied a focus group methodology. The study group included a total of nine mothers who were staying in the Mother Room of the neonatal intensive care unit and agreed to participate in the study. For collection of data, a semi-structured emotional closeness form was administered through face-to-face interviews conducted with the participants in a suitable physical environment. A voice-recording device was used during the interviews.
RESULTS: In this study, the mothers described the main barrier preventing them from feeling emotionally close to their newborn as the inability to touch and be with their newborn in the units. They defined emotional closeness as the mutual recognition achieved between mother and child through physical closeness. The mothers further emphasized the importance of being face-to-face and having eye contact with their child, and they believed that touching increased maternal feelings of emotional closeness, as it provided the reality that this was their baby. Breastfeeding was another feature highlighted by the mothers as being an activity that made them feel emotionally close to their newborn infants.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The findings from this study overall showed that when and how mothers feel emotionally close is grounded in the experiences and conditions that serve to either facilitate or debilitate emotional closeness.

Keywords: Emotional closeness, mother; neonatal intensive care unit; nursing; Turkey.

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Yenidoðan yoðun bakým ünitesinde duygusal yakýnlýk: Kalitatif bir çalýþma

Ayþe Gürol¹, Kadir Þerafettin Tekgündüz², Serap Ejder Apay³, Süreyya Özdemir⁴, Ramazan Güven^5
1Erzurum Teknik Üniversitesi Saðlýk Bilimleri Fakültesi, Hemþirelik Bölümü, Erzurum
²Atatürk Üniversitesi Týp Fakültesi, Yenidoðan Bölümü, Erzurum
³Atatürk Üniversitesi Saðlýk Bilimleri Fakültesi, Ebelik Bölümü, Erzurum
⁴Atatürk Üniversitesi Saðlýk Hizmetleri Meslek Yüksekokulu, Týbbi Hizmetler ve Teknikler Bölümü, Erzurum
⁵Saðlýk Bilimleri Üniversitesi, Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Eðitim ve Araþtýrma Hastanesi, Acil Týp Kliniði, Ýstanbul

GÝRÝÞ ve AMAÇ: Bu çalýþmanýn amacý, annelerin duygusal yakýnlýkta yaþadýklarý engeller ve kolaylaþtýrýcý faktörler ile ilgili deneyimlerini ve algýlarýný, onlarýn bebekleri Yenidoðan Yoðun Bakým Ünitesinde yattýðý zaman içerisinde duygusal yakýnlýk ile ilgili hissettiklerini açýklamaktýr.
YÖNTEM ve GEREÇLER: Çalýþmada odak grup yöntemi kullanýldý. Yenidoðan yoðun bakým ünitesinde anne odasýnda kalan ve çalýþmaya katýlmayý kabul eden toplam dokuz anne çalýþmaya katýldý. Verilerin toplanmasýnda yarý yapýlandýrýlmýþ duygusal yakýnlýk formu kullanýldý. Görüþme boyunca ses kaydý alýnarak anneler ile uygun bir ortamda yüz yüze görüþme tekniði kullanýldý.
BULGULAR: Çalýþmada anneler duygusal yakýnlýk hissetmelerini engelleyen, bebekleri ile olma ve onlara dokunabilmeyi engelleyen sýkýntýlý durumlar tanýmladýlar. Anneler özellikle bebekleri ile yüz yüze olma ve göz kontaðý kurmanýn önemini vurguladýlar. Dokunmak, bebekleri olduðunu hissetmenin ve duygusal yakýnlýk hissetmeyi artýrýcý bir faktör olarak bildirildi. Anneler emzirmenin bebeklerine karþý duygusal yakýnlýk hissetmenin en aktif yolu olduðunu vurguladý.
TARTIÞMA ve SONUÇ: Bu çalýþmadan elde edilen bulgular, annelerin bebeklerine duygusal yakýnlýðýný kolaylaþtýracak veya azaltabilecek koþullar ve ne zaman ve nasýl duygusal yakýnlýk hissedebilecekleri ile ilgili bilgi vermektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler: Anne, duygusal yakýnlýk; hemþirelik; Türkiye; yenidoðan yoðun bakým ünitesi.

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