Healthy Sendoffs: The Long-Term Mental Health Effects on NICU Parents and How Nurses Can Improve Outcomes

Background: Parents who enter the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) undergo numerous stressors on their psychological wellbeing that can leave them with impacts long after discharge. This review was conducted to analyze the severity of long-term mental health deficits in parents and compare various nursing interventions that could decrease the incidence of these deficits. Methods: Seven databases were searched within the past seven years and documented in the PRISMA flow chart with twelve articles being identified as meeting the inclusion requirements. Results: These articles found a higher prevalence of adverse mental health outcomes in NICU parents, with a focus on family centered care (FCC) as the best method of prevention. Conclusions: There are many long-term effects on parenting and child development that result from parental mental health effects. FCC has been found as a method that can decrease some of the major contributors to adverse parental mental health. Participation of the NICUs and their staff in changing policies and implementing interventions is a vital part of providing the best care for patients and their families.