Exploring the Impact of Family-Centered Nursing Care on Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Outcomes

Posted: Jun 03, 2017

• Layla Evans
• Leah Morris
• Leo Stewart

Abstract

The neonatal intensive care unit represents a critical environment where the most vulnerable patient population receives life-sustaining medical interventions. Traditional NICU models have historically prioritized technological and medical interventions, often relegating family involvement to peripheral visitor status. The emergence of family-centered care philosophy has challenged this paradigm, proposing that active family integration produces measurable benefits for both infants and healthcare systems. Despite growing theoretical support for family-centered approaches, the empirical evidence base remains fragmented, with significant methodological limitations constraining our understanding of the precise mechanisms through which family involvement influences clinical outcomes. This research addresses fundamental gaps in the current literature through the development and application of novel computational methodologies for analyzing family-centered care implementation. Previous studies have predominantly relied on self-reported satisfaction measures, qualitative interviews, or small-scale observational designs that lack the statistical power to detect subtle but clinically meaningful effects. Our approach represents a significant departure from tradition by leveraging large-scale electronic health record data and applying advanced computational techniques to quantify family engagement and its relationship to multidimensional outcome measures.