The lived experience of parents' challenges in a neonatal intensive care unit at Dilchora referral hospital, Ethiopia: a phenomenological study

Background: A neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is a special ward in a hospital that is important to save babies' lives when they are born early, have health problems, or have a difficult birth. Accordingly, parents face various challenges in such stressful conditions during their stay. Hence, this study was aimed at exploring the lived experiences of such parents. Methodology: A phenomenological qualitative study was undertaken in the Haramaya General Hospital, east Hararghe, Ethiopia, from September 1 to 30, 2022. Data was collected from purposively selected parents via in-depth interviews using a semi-structured tool, aided by a voice recorder and field notes. A thematic analysis done with an inductive approach goes through six steps: familiarization, coding, generating themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and writing up. Results: 22 parents were interviewed and six themes have identified. Parents complained of psychological problems like anxiety, stress, worries, hopelessness, and a state of confusion. In addition, anger, crying, sadness, frustration, dissatisfaction, regret, disappointment, feeling bad, self-blaming, nervousness, disturbance, and lack of self-control were major emotional problems raised by the parents. Parents expressed that health care providers showed indiscipline, lack of commitment, and uncooperative behavior. Likewise, shortage of medicines, money, and limited time to visit their neonates were the other concerns of many parents. At the same time, parents were provided minimal information and limited cooperation from health care providers. Conclusion: Medical and non-medical services in the NICU can challenge parents' finances. Parents in the NICU face both emotional and psychological challenges related to the hospital, HCPs, society, and their own perceptions. Parents in the NICU have also been challenged by the hospital's miserably loud sounds or shouts. The hospital and health care professionals recommended expanding both medical and non-medical services in the NICU.