Lived Experiences of Mothers in Neonatal Intensive Care about factors affecting sleep mothers: A Qualitative Directed Content Analysis

Objective: The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) can potentially exacerbate anxiety and stress for mothers of hospitalized infants, who sometimes spend hours a day around the infant's bed. This research was conducted to explain the lived experiences of this group of mothers from the negative and positive factors affecting their sleep quality in three areas: environment, person, and occupation, to help improve the sleep quality of mothers of hospitalized babies. Material and Methods: This qualitative study was conducted with Directed Content Analysis method, with the participation of ۱۶ mothers in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Fatemiyeh Hospital, and Hamadan University of Medical Sciences in February ۲۰۲۳. Sampling was targeted. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and personal profile questionnaires. Interviews were taped and transcribed and were analyzed based on the Colaizzi approach. Results: The results of the present study included ۱۶۸ primary codes, ۱۹ subcategories, and ۸ main categories. The main concepts extracted from the sleep experience of mothers in this study are in the individual field: somatic factors, mental and psychological factors, and adaptation to conditions. In the environmental field: physical factors, social factors, and economic factors. In the field of occupation: daily activities, activities, and tasks. Conclusion: Based on the results of the present study, individual and environmental factors, and occupation are effective in the sleep of mothers in the neonatal intensive care unit. These findings increase our understanding of mothers' sleep experiences and highlight the importance of paying attention to these factors in the prevention and treatment of sleep quality disorders in mothers of newborns in research and clinical practice.

کلیدواژه ها:

Sleep ، Lived Experience ، Mother ، Neonatal Intensive Care Unit ، Qualitative Study