Infant Crying and Neonatal Nurses’ Performance and Well-Being: A Mixed-Methods Study

BACKGROUND: Nursing staff in neonatal units are routinely exposed to prolonged and intense infant crying, which when combined with other hospital noises, can contribute to both physical stress and psychological stress. OBJECTIVE: We sought to examine the association between exposure to infant crying and the physiological and psychological well-being of neonatal nurses and work performance. METHODS: A mixed-methods questionnaire was distributed to rotating-shift neonatal nurses at 7 medical centers in Israel. Ethics approval was obtained; participants gave written informed consent. Data were collected anonymously between July and August 2024. RESULTS: < .001); this immediate response, in turn, fully mediated the association between unit resources and nurses' sustained post-shift impact (indirect effect = -0.36; 95% CI, -0.52 to -0.22), with no significant direct association between unit resources and post-shift impact once immediate response was accounted for. Qualitative analysis identified 4 themes: emotional distress and helplessness, mental and psychological strain, the need for evidence-based interventions and policies addressing environmental and structural barriers, and physical health consequences. CONCLUSION: Nurses working in neonatal care may experience emotional and psychological strain due to continuous exposure to infant crying. Hospital administrators must consider environmental modifications to support the mental well-being of nursing staff, ultimately improving patient care and job satisfaction.