Mothers' Perceptions of Family-Centered Care and Satisfaction with Care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Correlational Study

Parents play a crucial role in the family-centered care (FCC) model by evaluating the quality of care provided. The first step in understanding parents’ perceptions of FCC is to identify and address their needs to enhance services for preterm newborns and their families. This study was conducted as a correlational study in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of a referral hospital in location X. The study included a sample of 150 mothers of preterm newborns (28–36 weeks) hospitalized in the NICU. Data were collected using the “Perceptions of FCC-Parent” questionnaire and the Parents’ Satisfaction Questionnaire from the NICU (EMPATHIC-N). The results of the study indicated that mothers of preterm infants received below-average FCC but expressed relatively high satisfaction with the care provided in the NICU. Furthermore, the findings demonstrated a significant positive correlation between mothers’ perception of receiving FCC and their satisfaction with the care in the NICU. This study highlighted the positive impact of implementing FCC on parents’ satisfaction with care. Given the suboptimal implementation of FCC in this study setting, it is essential to identify and address the barriers to its effective implementation in future research. This proactive approach can enhance the quality of care provided to parents and their preterm newborns in the NICU setting.