The emotionality to care premature infants and their parents: a competence of nurses

Abstract

Becoming the parents of a premature baby, despite the unique challenges faced, also represents an opportunity for the growth and development of parenting skills. However, this moment is filled with intense emotions, which are often confusing and difficult for both parents and nursing to manage. Thus, in this article we intend to understand how nurses manage emotions when interacting with new-borns and parents in the context of prematurity. The CINAHL, MEDLINE, SciELO and Google Scholar databases were searched between March 2003 and March 2013, using the search expression: [(Prematur* OR Low birth weight) AND (Nurs*) AND
(Emot*)], in English and Portuguese. The emotions most frequently identified by parents of premature infants were anguish, suffering, insecurity, anxiety, fear, stress, sadness, maternal guilt, feelings of insignificance, anger and depression. Of nursing interventions that enable the management of feelings/emotions, we highlight the importance of family-centred care as a driver of the development of parental competence, binding, and effective communication. It reinforces the importance of emotional management in the care of premature infants and their parents. More studies should be developed on the subject, in order to better understand and give visibility to emotionality in care in paediatric nursing.