View in EDS

Neonatal Nurses' Understanding of the Factors That Enhance and Hinder Early Communication between Preterm Infants and Their Parents: A Narrative Inquiry Study

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Neonatal Nurses' Understanding of the Factors That Enhance and Hinder Early Communication between Preterm Infants and Their Parents: A Narrative Inquiry Study
Language: English
Authors: Julia Petty (ORCID 0000-0002-3639-2881), Lisa Whiting (ORCID 0000-0003-4184-1933), Celia Harding (ORCID 0000-0002-5192-2027)
Source: International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders. 2025 60(4).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 12
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Neonates, Nurses, Knowledge Level, Premature Infants, Parent Child Relationship, Interpersonal Communication, Interaction, Barriers, Communication Strategies, Clothing, Hygiene, Language Acquisition, Speech Language Pathology, Allied Health Personnel
DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.70093
ISSN: 1368-2822
1460-6984
Abstract: Background: Infants born preterm are at high risk of facing difficulties with acquiring speech, language and communication skills. Research on the direct benefits of parent--infant communication in neonatal units is limited. This study recognises that although neonatal nurses regard early communication as important, there is scope to develop a wider range of resources to help support professionals' understanding of the importance of communication in neonatal care. Aim: To explore neonatal nurses' understanding of factors that can enable or hinder early communication and interaction between preterm infants and parents within a neonatal unit setting. Methods and Procedures: This study employed a narrative inquiry approach with nine neonatal nurses, selected through purposive sampling. Narrative interviews investigated nurses' views and understanding of the enablers and challenges to communication in this patient group, along with their role in enhancing early communication between infants and parents. Data reporting was undertaken using the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Studies (COREQ), aligning with Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency of Health Research (EQUATOR) framework. Outcomes and Results: Narrative analysis revealed the following four themes: the importance of education and experience in neonatal care; supporting parents of infants receiving neonatal care; encouraging communication strategies; the impact of limiting parental presence and wearing facemasks. Conclusions and Implications: Neonatal nurses commented that using early communication strategies with infants and supporting parents to learn how to communicate directly with their infant is essential. However, none were able to fully describe the key components of early communication from a linguistic perspective, nor give specific examples beyond skin-to-skin care, bonding, reading infant cues and hearing familial voices during conversation and reading. Although these are very important antecedent skills that provide a framework for developing communication, they are not always a direct means to enhance language development specifically. As preterm infants are at high risk of altered language and communication development, a real need exists for neonatal nurses to develop linguistically rooted methods to support communication for parents and their infants, in conjunction with allied healthcare professionals such as speech and language therapists. This support can enable the development of positive communication, enriched and extended after leaving the neonatal unit.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1478068
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1478068
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Neonatal Nurses' Understanding of the Factors That Enhance and Hinder Early Communication between Preterm Infants and Their Parents: A Narrative Inquiry Study
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Julia+Petty%22">Julia Petty</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3639-2881">0000-0002-3639-2881</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lisa+Whiting%22">Lisa Whiting</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4184-1933">0000-0003-4184-1933</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Celia+Harding%22">Celia Harding</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5192-2027">0000-0002-5192-2027</externalLink>)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22International+Journal+of+Language+%26+Communication+Disorders%22"><i>International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders</i></searchLink>. 2025 60(4).
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 12
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Neonates%22">Neonates</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Nurses%22">Nurses</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Knowledge+Level%22">Knowledge Level</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Premature+Infants%22">Premature Infants</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parent+Child+Relationship%22">Parent Child Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interpersonal+Communication%22">Interpersonal Communication</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interaction%22">Interaction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Communication+Strategies%22">Communication Strategies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Clothing%22">Clothing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hygiene%22">Hygiene</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Acquisition%22">Language Acquisition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Speech+Language+Pathology%22">Speech Language Pathology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Allied+Health+Personnel%22">Allied Health Personnel</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1111/1460-6984.70093
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1368-2822<br />1460-6984
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Background: Infants born preterm are at high risk of facing difficulties with acquiring speech, language and communication skills. Research on the direct benefits of parent--infant communication in neonatal units is limited. This study recognises that although neonatal nurses regard early communication as important, there is scope to develop a wider range of resources to help support professionals' understanding of the importance of communication in neonatal care. Aim: To explore neonatal nurses' understanding of factors that can enable or hinder early communication and interaction between preterm infants and parents within a neonatal unit setting. Methods and Procedures: This study employed a narrative inquiry approach with nine neonatal nurses, selected through purposive sampling. Narrative interviews investigated nurses' views and understanding of the enablers and challenges to communication in this patient group, along with their role in enhancing early communication between infants and parents. Data reporting was undertaken using the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Studies (COREQ), aligning with Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency of Health Research (EQUATOR) framework. Outcomes and Results: Narrative analysis revealed the following four themes: the importance of education and experience in neonatal care; supporting parents of infants receiving neonatal care; encouraging communication strategies; the impact of limiting parental presence and wearing facemasks. Conclusions and Implications: Neonatal nurses commented that using early communication strategies with infants and supporting parents to learn how to communicate directly with their infant is essential. However, none were able to fully describe the key components of early communication from a linguistic perspective, nor give specific examples beyond skin-to-skin care, bonding, reading infant cues and hearing familial voices during conversation and reading. Although these are very important antecedent skills that provide a framework for developing communication, they are not always a direct means to enhance language development specifically. As preterm infants are at high risk of altered language and communication development, a real need exists for neonatal nurses to develop linguistically rooted methods to support communication for parents and their infants, in conjunction with allied healthcare professionals such as speech and language therapists. This support can enable the development of positive communication, enriched and extended after leaving the neonatal unit.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1478068
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1478068
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1111/1460-6984.70093
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 12
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Neonates
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Nurses
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Knowledge Level
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Premature Infants
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Parent Child Relationship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Interpersonal Communication
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Interaction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Barriers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Communication Strategies
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Clothing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Hygiene
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Language Acquisition
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Speech Language Pathology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Allied Health Personnel
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Neonatal Nurses' Understanding of the Factors That Enhance and Hinder Early Communication between Preterm Infants and Their Parents: A Narrative Inquiry Study
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Julia Petty
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Lisa Whiting
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Celia Harding
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 07
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 1368-2822
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1460-6984
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 60
            – Type: issue
              Value: 4
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders
              Type: main
ResultId 1