[Impact on the healthcare team and parents of the type of cardiorespiratory monitoring during phototherapy]

Abstract

Introduction: Neonatal jaundice is treated with phototherapy and requires continuous cardiorespiratory monitoring, which can induce parental anxiety. Within a very short time, parents receive the announcement of the diagnosis and of the need for a treatment in another unit with a new team of caregivers.

Objective: To evaluate parents' anxiety and their feelings concerning the location of treatment concerning cardiorespiratory monitoring equipment (wired vs Wi-Fi wireless monitoring equipment) and treatment location (neonatology vs maternity wards) during a phototherapy treatment in the neonatology unit, located in the maternity wards.

Methods: This was a prospective and monocentric study. Parental anxiety was assessed using the STAI-Y score. Their feelings on the location of treatment were assessed using a specific questionnaire. Three successive periods were considered: period I "wired with neonatology team," period II "Wi-Fi with neonatology team," and period III "Wi-Fi with maternity wards". Comparison between periods I and II evaluated the impact of the monitoring equipment and comparison between periods II and III assessed the impact of the treatment location.

Results: No effects of the monitoring equipment were observed. We found an impact of the treatment location in charge of the newborn: the parent's anxiety (STAI-Y score) was lower in the maternity wards, whereas the maternity ward personnel considered the protocol as an increased workload (p<0.001).

Conclusion: The monitoring equipment had little effect. Parental anxiety decreased when monitoring took place in the usual maternity wards, underscoring the advantages of a close relationship between maternity and neonatology units.