Family Management Skills Reported by Parents of Preterm Infants in the NICU Using the Self- and Family Management Framework (SFMF).

BACKGROUND: Across the globe, family-integrated care (FICare) has become an evidence-based standard in which parents deliver the majority of infant care in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Because of extensive barriers to parent presence, adaptations to FICare may be required for successful implementation. Family management theory may provide structure to the Parent Education of FICare and help nurses guide parents' skill development as equal care members. PURPOSE: To identify family management skills employed by NICU parents using the Self- and Family Management Framework (SFMF). METHODS: We conducted secondary analyses of qualitative interview data from NICU parents (n = 17) who shared their experiences of using family management skills to care for their infant. We categorized skills according to 3 main self- and family management processes: Focusing on Infant Illness Needs; Activating Resources; and Living With Infant Illness. RESULTS: Parents reported several family management skills currently identified in the SFMF, as well as new skills such as conflict management, power brokerage, and addressing resources related to social determinants of health. Parent activation of resources was critical to sustaining parent focus on the infant's illness needs. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE AND RESEARCH: By teaching skills that parents reported as helping them manage infant care, neonatal nurses may better facilitate parent integration into the care team. Future researchers can incorporate the skills identified in this study into the design of family management interventions that facilitate FICare implementation in the United States.

A clinical-academic partnership to develop a family management intervention for parents of preterm infants.

AIMS: To examine the critical role that an academic clinical partnership played in the development and refinement of a family management intervention in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). BACKGROUND: Clinical-academic partnerships enable earlier infusion of implementation science principles into development of evidence-based interventions, yet partners often report difficulty leveraging resources, personnel and expertise to create beneficial outcomes for all. DESIGN: Longitudinal qualitative descriptive design. METHODS: To develop and refine the intervention, designated time was taken during meetings of the NICU's Parent Partnership Council (PPC), a committee comprised of nursing, physician and allied health leadership and former NICU parents. Partnership was also achieved by having bedside clinical nurses, in addition to medical and nursing students, participate as research team members. Qualitative data were collected via email, research team and Council meetings, and informal individual chats with key stakeholders (N = 25) and NICU mothers (N = 22). Qualitative data were analysed deductively using thematic analysis based on MacPhee's partnership logic model and the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance (RE-AIM) model. The consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research checklist guided our work. RESULTS: During Council meetings, the clinical-academic nurse, Director of Family-Integrated Care and Council members identified the need for a family management intervention, and worked together to develop and refine PREEMIE PROGRESS. Mothers found the intervention had numerous strengths and perceived a benefit knowing they helped future parents. CONCLUSIONS: This work was only possible by leveraging both the university's technology/research resources and the clinical expertise of the NICU staff and PPC. Co-authored presentations, publications and grant funding continued this NICU's legacy in family-centred care and helped shape the clinical-academic nurse's career. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Clinical-academic partnerships can promote excellence in nursing practice, research and education through swifter knowledge translation and earlier infusion of implementation science principles into the development of evidence-based nursing interventions.

A Comparison of Practice Patterns Among Certified and Noncertified Asthma Educators.

BACKGROUND: Asthma educators are essential for providing patients with the knowledge and skills needed to control asthma. The purpose of this descriptive, cross-sectional survey was to examine the differences in practice patterns between certified and noncertified asthma educators. METHODS: Subjects (N = 98) included certified asthma educators (n = 66) and noncertified asthma educators (n = 32) who provided asthma education directly to patients and their families. Subjects were asked to complete an asthma task assessment tool, composed of a 31-item Likert scale survey based on the AE-C certification exam content and the National Asthma Education Prevention Program's Expert Panel Report 3 guidelines, which include 6 domains of asthma education (ie, the asthma condition, assessing the patient and family, behavioral and environmental factors, asthma management education, asthma medications, and organizational issues). Subjects identified frequency in performing specific asthma education tasks on a scale from "Always" to "Never." RESULTS: Noncertified asthma educators were significantly more likely than certified asthma educators to report performing tasks more frequently than certified asthma educators for item 17: Explain the definition of asthma control and loss of control, and controlled versus not well controlled. The largest difference in reported means between certified and noncertified asthma educators was for item 8: Diagnose asthma, with certified asthma educators reporting higher frequencies. Certified asthma educators reported higher frequency scores on 11 of the 31 tasks. CONCLUSIONS: For a majority of the education tasks, certified versus noncertified responses did not differ in their reported frequency of performing education tasks. Future researcher should examine the potential differences in patient outcomes based on provider certification status.