A experiência do pai na unidade de tratamento intensivo neonatal/ The experience of the father in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

摘要

During the pregnancy the parents idealize the image of a perfect child, but due to complications some of them are hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The causes are varied, stemming from pre, peri and postnatal complications. The goal of this study was to comprehend the father’s participation in the care and monitoring of babies interned in the NICU. It is a study of qualitative, descriptive and exploratory nature, to investigate the participation of the father in the care and monitoring of interned babies. An open questionnaire with seven questions was utilized for the interviews, which were recorded and transcribed; the results were analyzed according to Bardin’s content analysis. The results made evident that the fathers experience intensely the effects of the child’s hospitalization with complex feelings ranging from frustration, impotence, fear of the unknown and concern with the mother. In contrast to the hypothesis of the study, the fathers felt welcomed by the NICU team and active participants in the decisions and cares regarding the baby. Results indicate that the fathers are aware and aim to fulfill their roles as the baby’s caretaker and of partner in active fashion. It was concluded that the humanization process of the hospitals that foster the families into the NICU has been important for the fathers to overcome the difficulties related to the baby’s hospitalization, seeing help and support in the team.