Medical Research

Fathers and Neonatal Intensive Care
Fathers’ experiences of parenting term and preterm infants
in a neonatal unit and follow-up at home

Background: In Northern Ireland over 2000 babies are admitted annually to neonatal intensive care units (NICU) because they are born preterm or are suffering from other health complications. Many parents face a rollercoaster experience watching their baby/babies undergo medical, including life-saving medical, procedures. In this study we focus on fathers of newborn infants admitted to NICU. While the literature has paid attention to the needs of mothers in caring for babies who are designated high-risk infants at birth, the experience of fathers and their health and social care needs while fathering high-risk infants has been neglected. In addition, the overwhelming focus in the media and health sciences literature is on the care of small and preterm infants in NICU to the neglect of infants born at term. Hence, we focus on the interface of two relatively understudied areas: the fathering of high- risk infants born at term and preterm.

Aims: We seek to understand men’s experiences of being the parent of a high-risk infant born either at term or preterm within the hospital setting and later in the home. We aim to contribute to wider research on men, masculinities and fathering and to develop guidelines for improved practice in neo-natal and family health that would incorporate the needs of fathers in caring for high-risk infants.

Research Team:

Kathleen Deeney – PhD student.
Dr Maria Lohan, Dr Dale Spence, and Dr Jackie Parkes – Supervisory Team.

Link: Queen's University Research Page

TinyLife Bursary Award

A new bursary award was recently launched by TinyLife in collaboration with the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Queen’s University Belfast. The award will provide funding for a nurse or midwife to undertake a Masters degree at the School of Nursing and Midwifery on the condition that the dissertation subject is related to the work of TinyLife. TinyLife (www.tinylife.org.uk ) is a premature and vulnerable baby charity dedicated to reducing premature birth, illness, disability and death in babies born in NI. TinyLife have been operational for 21 years (formerly NIMBA) and have provided invaluable support to numerous parents and families over this time. They have also funded several research projects over the years; many of which have contributed to significant improvements in neonatal care. Currently Kathleen Deeney is supported by TinyLife to undertake a doctoral study within the School of Nursing and Midwifery, exploring fathers’ experiences of parenting term and preterm infants in a neonatal unit and follow-up at home.