Experiences of Fathers of Preterm Infants in Alberta FICare™

Experiences of Fathers of Preterm Infants in a Family Integrated Care (FICare™) Program: A Qualitative Study

Globally, 15 million babies are born preterm (more than 3 weeks early) and admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Alberta FICare™ is a model of care that integrates parents in the care of their preterm baby from the time they are admitted to the NICU.

In Alberta FICare™, parents are educated and supported by health care providers to gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence to care for their baby in the NICU and at home. To date, there is no information about fathers’ experiences with Alberta FICare™ and whether participation in their baby’s care improved their NICU experiences.

The goal of this study was to describe the experiences of fathers of preterm infants in Alberta FICare™ NICUs. Fathers participated in interviews and some wrote in Alberta FICare™ parent journals while their baby was in the NICU.

 

Study Status: Manuscript in progress.

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Principal Investigator: Karen Benzies PhD, RN

Co-Investigators:

Amy Shafey MD, FRCPC, MSc

Thomas Stelfox MD, FRCPC, BMSc, PhD

Vibhuti Shah MD, FRCPC, MSc

Reshma Amin MD, FRCPC, MSc

Manuscript in progress. Results will be shared soon. 

Manuscript in progress. Results will be shared soon. 

Sponsors and Partners

The Benzies Lab would like to acknowledge in-kind support from the Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary and support from our valued partners:

  • University of Calgary 
  • University of Toronto