Background and significance
Technological advances in neonatal care have
dramatically improved survival rates of infants born
prematurely and hospitalized in neonatal intensive
care units (NICUs). Despite the improved survival
rates, many infants continue to face a significant
risk of severe neurodevelopmental problems, including
major permanent neurosensory impairments;
cognitive and language delays; motor deficiencies;
neurobehavioral and socioemotional problems; and
learning disabilities.1-4 Preterm infants hospitalized
in NICUs are exposed to numerous stressors,
including painful stimuli, disruption of sleep,
excessive noise and light level, and frequent
handling associated with medical or nursing
procedures.5-6 Many research studies have indicated
that these stressful stimuli in NICU cause damage
to the brain and nervous system.7-10
Developmental care has been found to minimize
the stress experienced by preterm infants and help
these infants improve their neurodevelopmental
outcomes.7,11-13 Developmental care activities include
decreasing light and noise in the neonatal unit, the
clustering of nursing care, using specific positions,
and the involvement of active parental participation
in care-giving.14 The goal is to promote stable, wellorganized
infants who can conserve energy for growth
and development.15 Research regarding the effects
of developmental care has shown a positive trend
towards improved short-term growth, decreased
respiratory support, decreased length and cost of
hospital stay, and improved neurodevelopmental
outcomes.12 Furthermore, there are no harmful
effects of developmental care described in the
literature. Additionally, developmental care is
currently a central concept in neonatal care and
accepted as best practice in the NICU.15,16-17 However,
changing nursing practice to incorporate a
developmental care model continues to be an
on-going challenge. It was important to initiate
systematic changes in developmental care with the
full involvement of staff nurses because their
cooperation and support was essential to successful
implementation. The purpose of this study was to
enhance nursing practice in developmental care for
preterm infants and to investigate the process
of enhancing nursing practice in developmental care
in NICU.
Belief in the concepts of çnurses have their
own capacities, nurses have a wealth of practice
knowledge, and nurses can change their practice
by themselves,é PAR is considered the most
appropriate methodological choice for this study.
The principle of PAR focuses on collaboration
between researcher and participants. Moreover, in
regard to PAR, the participants are seen as the
experts who can explore and develop their own
circumstances in the best possible way.18 The PAR
process will help to identify the problems and
enhance appropriate clinical practice in developmental
care for preterm infants. This process would enable
nurses to move gradually from current practices
of premature infant care to the use of the developmental
care interventions, and this should lead to
sustained change.