Experiences of Mothers Whose Babies are in Newborn Intensive Care Unit: A Qualitative Research

Department of Nursing, Master Programme of Public Health Nursing Purpose: This study is to aim describing subjective experiences of mothers whose babies are in newborn intensive care unit deeply, and defining effective factors relating to social, psychological, environmental, health services and health team. Method: Universe includes newborn mothers' followed in Newborn Intensive Care Unit of Health Sciences University, Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, Bornova Additional Service Building. Mothers in this study, have been determined by using criterion sampling from purposive sampling method and completed by 11 of mothers whose babies accepting to attend into this study were in intensive care unit between 2018, September and 2019, March. Data have been obtained by using Questionnaire Form with Mothers Identifier Features and Semi-Structured Interview Form and have been collected by voice records pursuing face to face meetings. Data have been solved by transforming 358 minutes, 23 seconds voice records into 105-page word document and then by content analysis. Findings: 7 themes have been obtained in this study. Themes tags obtained relation to mothers' experiences whose babies are in newborn intensive care unit are 'difficult pregnancy experiences', 'emotional density relating to birth process', 'intensive care perception', 'mother-infant separation', 'attitudes of professionals', 'coping', and 'maternity capacity'. Conclusion: Mothers have contrary emotions during this process as before and after hospitalization. Unable to mothers' duties, remaining separate from their babies and their conceptions about intensive care form this process. Belief system and relation dynamics about coping during this process are applied. Key words: Neonatal intensive care, mother, infant, qualitative research.