The effects of a neonatal critical care nurse companionship with parents during hospital–home transfer of preterm infants on mothers' mood status

Background: Hospital discharge and transfer of a preterm infant from hospital to home are usually stressful for parents. Objectives: This study evaluated the effects of a neonatal critical care nurse companionship with parents during hospital–home transfer of preterm infants on mothers' mood status. Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 64 mothers of preterm infants discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit of a teaching hospital in Isfahan, Iran. Participants were randomly and equally allocated to an intervention and a control group. Each mother in the intervention group was accompanied by a nurse immediately from hospital discharge up to 3 h afterward. The nurse also supported the mother during the first 3–4 postdischarge days. Mothers' mood status was assessed using the 21-item Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale both groups 3–4 days before hospital discharge and 72 h after hospital discharge. Data were analyzed through the Chi-square, the paired-sample t, and the independent-sample t-tests. Results: The pretest mean scores of depression, anxiety, and stress, respectively, were 4.71 ± 4.43, 6.51 ± 4.04, and 9.17 ± 5.40 in the intervention group and 4.91 ± 2.59, 6.59 ± 2.92, and 8.77 ± 3.58 in the control group. The between-group differences respecting the mean scores of depression, anxiety, and stress were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). These mean scores significantly decreased in the intervention group after the intervention (P < 0.05) while did not significantly change in the control group (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Nurse companionship with parents during the transfer of preterm infants to home improves mothers' mood status.