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Objective. To explore Colombian health care provider perceptions ofbarriers and facilitators to preparing families with premature infantsfor discharge home from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).Methodology. Using a qualitative descriptive design, in-depth semistructuredinterviews were conducted with fifteen neonatal healthcare providers (HCPs) in Colombia. Data were analyzed usingqualitative content analysis. Results. Participant responses centeredon three main themes: 1) establishment of the parent-infant bond,2) acquisition of parenting skills, and 3) getting ready for thetransition from hospital to home. Barreirs to preparing parents forNICU discharge included obstacles to parental visiting in the NICU,communication barriers, difficulties related to the establishmentof successful breastfeeding, insufficient human resources andpoor links between hospital and community-based resources.Facilitators included the availability of social aids for vulnerablefamilies, 24-hour telephone access to the neonatal units, tailorededucational materials and group sessions, continuing educationfor staff and the community-based Kangaroo Program availableto parents post-discharge. Adolescent mothers, indigenous parentand working fathers were identified as particularly challenging toreach and engage in discharge preparation. Conclusion. NeonatalHCPs identified numerous challenges as well as helpful strategiesfor preparing families for hospital discharge. Additional studiesare needed on the experience of neonatal discharge from theperspective of parents of premature infants in Colombia, to helpinform optimal interventions for supporting families during thetransition from hospital to home.
