The effects of telepresence with real-time video and audio communication on parent-infant interaction and staff experience in neonatal intensive care unit

Objective: We implemented an online visitation system named “telepresence” in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for family members at home to communicate with their babies in real-time using video and audio. This study evaluated the impact of this system on families and medical staff. Methods:...

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Main Authors: Tomoko Saito, Tomoyuki Shimokaze, Miku Niizuma, Masako Suzuki, Makiko Toyoshima, Katsuaki Toyoshima
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:PEC Innovation
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772628224000633
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author Tomoko Saito
Tomoyuki Shimokaze
Miku Niizuma
Masako Suzuki
Makiko Toyoshima
Katsuaki Toyoshima
author_facet Tomoko Saito
Tomoyuki Shimokaze
Miku Niizuma
Masako Suzuki
Makiko Toyoshima
Katsuaki Toyoshima
author_sort Tomoko Saito
collection DOAJ
description Objective: We implemented an online visitation system named “telepresence” in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for family members at home to communicate with their babies in real-time using video and audio. This study evaluated the impact of this system on families and medical staff. Methods: Nineteen families of babies admitted to the NICU between 2022 and 2023 and 65 medical staff participated. Each family experienced two weeks of virtual visits. Changes in parental depression and attachment were assessed. Result: Before and after telepresence, the median Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score reduced from 6 to 4 (p = 0.026), and the Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale score showed a decreasing trend, with both medians at 2 (p = 0.057). Eighty-nine percent of the parents and 97% of staff reported that telepresence did not increase parental stress, and 88% of parents felt positive changes in their baby's siblings. All parents wanted to visit their babies in person after seeing them on camera. Conclusion: Telepresence improved parental mental health, reduced family distress, and supported connection with their infants, making them eager to visit in person. Innovations: This technology potentially make parents want to visit more by helping them feel more connected to their infants.
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institution Kabale University
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publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Elsevier
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series PEC Innovation
spelling doaj-art-83c4793c95e846a19d99a5aac9500c552024-12-14T06:34:18ZengElsevierPEC Innovation2772-62822024-12-015100315The effects of telepresence with real-time video and audio communication on parent-infant interaction and staff experience in neonatal intensive care unitTomoko Saito0Tomoyuki Shimokaze1Miku Niizuma2Masako Suzuki3Makiko Toyoshima4Katsuaki Toyoshima5Department of Neonatology, Kanagawa Children's Medical Center, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan; Corresponding author at: Department of Neonatology, Kanagawa Children's Medical Center, 2-138-4 Mutsukawa, Minami-ku, Yokohama 232-8555, Japan.Department of Neonatology, Kanagawa Children's Medical Center, Yokohama, Kanagawa, JapanDepartment of Nursing, Kanagawa Children's Medical Center, Yokohama, Kanagawa, JapanDepartment of Nursing, Kanagawa Children's Medical Center, Yokohama, Kanagawa, JapanDepartment of Nursing, Kanagawa Children's Medical Center, Yokohama, Kanagawa, JapanDepartment of Neonatology, Kanagawa Children's Medical Center, Yokohama, Kanagawa, JapanObjective: We implemented an online visitation system named “telepresence” in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for family members at home to communicate with their babies in real-time using video and audio. This study evaluated the impact of this system on families and medical staff. Methods: Nineteen families of babies admitted to the NICU between 2022 and 2023 and 65 medical staff participated. Each family experienced two weeks of virtual visits. Changes in parental depression and attachment were assessed. Result: Before and after telepresence, the median Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score reduced from 6 to 4 (p = 0.026), and the Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale score showed a decreasing trend, with both medians at 2 (p = 0.057). Eighty-nine percent of the parents and 97% of staff reported that telepresence did not increase parental stress, and 88% of parents felt positive changes in their baby's siblings. All parents wanted to visit their babies in person after seeing them on camera. Conclusion: Telepresence improved parental mental health, reduced family distress, and supported connection with their infants, making them eager to visit in person. Innovations: This technology potentially make parents want to visit more by helping them feel more connected to their infants.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772628224000633Web cameraTelepresenceOnlineNICUFamily integrated careFamily centered care
spellingShingle Tomoko Saito
Tomoyuki Shimokaze
Miku Niizuma
Masako Suzuki
Makiko Toyoshima
Katsuaki Toyoshima
The effects of telepresence with real-time video and audio communication on parent-infant interaction and staff experience in neonatal intensive care unit
PEC Innovation
Web camera
Telepresence
Online
NICU
Family integrated care
Family centered care
title The effects of telepresence with real-time video and audio communication on parent-infant interaction and staff experience in neonatal intensive care unit
title_full The effects of telepresence with real-time video and audio communication on parent-infant interaction and staff experience in neonatal intensive care unit
title_fullStr The effects of telepresence with real-time video and audio communication on parent-infant interaction and staff experience in neonatal intensive care unit
title_full_unstemmed The effects of telepresence with real-time video and audio communication on parent-infant interaction and staff experience in neonatal intensive care unit
title_short The effects of telepresence with real-time video and audio communication on parent-infant interaction and staff experience in neonatal intensive care unit
title_sort effects of telepresence with real time video and audio communication on parent infant interaction and staff experience in neonatal intensive care unit
topic Web camera
Telepresence
Online
NICU
Family integrated care
Family centered care
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772628224000633
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