Experiences of Fathers of Babies Admitted into a Neonatal Unit in a Tertiary Hospital in Port Harcourt, Nigeria | Chapter 01 | Emerging Research in Medical Sciences Vol. 1
Introduction: In time past mothers were regarded as sole caregivers of NICU babies, however the fathers’ role is now increasingly being recognized. Mothers are involved in providing care such as feeding, hygiene, and kangaroo mother care. Fathers are usually called on for medical bills and usually enter the neonatal unit for observational visits. The aim of the study was to determine experiences of fathers during the hospitalization of their babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) which is referred to as the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was a cross sectional study carried out in the neonatal clinic of UPTH over a period of 10 weeks. Participants were fathers who had brought their babies for follow up. Information obtained using interviewer administered questionnaires included biodata, occupation and experiences during their babies’ stay in SCBU. Results...