THE EFFECT OF NURSING SUPPORT PROGRAM ON STRESS TOLERANCE OF MOTHERS WITH PREMATURE INFANTS IN NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT: A QUASI-EXPERIMENT STUDY

Background & Aim:The birth of a premature infant constitutes a complex psychological crisis that threatens maternal mental health.This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a nursing support program on distress tolerance among mothers of premature neonates. Materials & Methods:This research was a semi-experimental study.A total of 84 mothers with premature neonates admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Bent Al-Hoda Hospital, Bojnord were included in the study.Participants were selected through convenience sampling.Distress tolerance was assessed using the Emotional Distress Tolerance Scale.Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23, with statistical significance set at p<0.05. Results:The results of this study showed that the mean overall score of emotional distress tolerance in the control group before the intervention was 40.0311.595,and after the intervention was 40.5812 (p= 0.146).In contrast, in the intervention group, the mean score before the intervention was 36.211.691,and after the intervention was 51.7013.842,and this change was statistically significant (p= 0.000).Furthermore, in all subscales of emotional distress tolerance, the difference was statistically significant in the intervention group (p= 0.000), indicating the impact of the nursing support intervention on emotional distress tolerance and all its subscales.Conclusion: These findings underscore the role of providing supportive services by nurses in Neonatal Intensive Care Units.It is recommended that health system policymakers consider the significance of nursing support, prepare suitable conditions for the implementation of supportive programs in Intensive Care Units, and improve the care quality for mothers with premature infants through nurse education by developing appropriate protocols .