Background: Neonatal mortality accounts for nearly three quarters of all infant deaths in Vietnam. The nursing\nteam are the largest professional group working with newborns, however do not routinely receive neonatal training\nand there is a lack of research into the impact of educational provision. This study explored changes in nursing\nperceptions towards their role following a neonatal educational intervention. Parents perceptions of nursing care\nwere explored to determine any changes as nurses gained more experience.\nMethod: Semi-Structured qualitative interviews were conducted every 6 months over an 18 month period with 16\nnurses. At each time point, parents whose infant was resident on the neonatal unit were invited to participate in an\ninterview to explore their experiences of nursing care. A total of 67 parents participated over 18 months. Interviews\nwere conducted and transcribed in Vietnamese before translation into English for manifest content analysis\nfacilitated by NVivo V14.\nResults: Analysis of nursing transcripts identified 14 basic categories which could be grouped (23) into 3 themes:\n(1) perceptions of the role of the neonatal nurse, (2) perception of the parental role and (3) professional\nrecollections. Analysis of parent transcripts identified 14 basic categories which could be grouped into 3 themes:\n(1) information sharing, (2) participation in care, and (3) personal experience.\nConclusions: Qualitative interviews highlighted the short term effect that the introduction of an educational\nintervention can have on both nursing attitudes towards and parental experience of care in one neonatal unit\nin central Vietnam. Nurses shared a growing awareness of their role along with its ethical issues and challenges,\nwhilst parents discussed their overall desire for more participation in their infants care. Further research is required\nto determine the long term impact of the intervention, the ability of nurses to translate knowledge into clinical\npractice through assessment of nursing knowledge and competence, and the impact and needs of parents. A\ngreater understanding will allow us to continue to improve the experiences of nurses and parents, and highlight\nhow these areas may contribute towards the reduction of infant mortality and morbidity in Vietnam.
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