Parent-infant bonding and attachment in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) during COVID-19

Infants who are admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) are a medically vulnerable population who are at risk for developmental delays, behaviour difficulties and reduced parent-infant bonding and attachment. The aim and objective of this study is to explore and describe the challenges faced by nurses and parents to facilitate parent-infant bonding and attachment in a NICU during COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative, explorative and descriptive design was used. In the study the researcher used face to face interviews and Microsoft team meeting with parents and face to face interview with neonatal nurses to explore and describe the challenges to facilitate parent-infant bonding and attachment in the NICU during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study was conducted in a public hospital within the Gauteng province in the NICU of the hospital. The population was parents who had infants in the NICU and all the neonatal nurses who were working in the NICU during covid-19 pandemic. Convenient sampling was used. Data was collected using face-to-face and Microsoft team semi-structured interviews. Data was analysed using Tesch’s eight steps of data analysis.