Barriers to implementing developmental care in the neonatal intensive care unit: A systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative literature.

The survival rates of preterm infants have increased, but morbidities associated with prematurity remain high. Developmental Care practices are crucial in improving long-term outcomes and reducing morbidities for infants admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. However, the implementation is in...

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Publicado en:Journal of Neonatal Nursing Vol. 32; no. 4
Autor principal: Kromhout, Laura E
Formato: research systematic review Journal Article
Publicado: Elsevier B.V. Aug2026
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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      issn: 13551841
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      dt: Aug2026
      vid: 32
      iid: 4
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      pub: Elsevier B.V.
      place: New York, New York
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        195371030
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        10.1016/j.jnn.2026.101882
        195371030
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        atl: Barriers to implementing developmental care in the neonatal intensive care unit: A systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative literature.
      aug:
        au: Kromhout, Laura E
        affil: King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 9RS, United Kingdom
      sug:
        subj:
          Intensive Care Units, Neonatal
          Infant, Premature
          Infant Development
          Pediatric Care
          Implementation Science
          Human
          Systematic Review
          Male
          Female
          Infant, Newborn
          Parents Psychosocial Factors
          Parents Education
          Neonatal Nursing
          Neonatal Nurses Psychosocial Factors
          Workload
          Resource-Limited Settings
          Parent-Infant Relations
          Health Personnel Education
          Practice Guidelines
          Organizational Culture
          Work Environment
          Quality Improvement
          Facility Design and Construction
          Infant, Newborn: birth-1 month
          Male
          Female
      ab: The survival rates of preterm infants have increased, but morbidities associated with prematurity remain high. Developmental Care practices are crucial in improving long-term outcomes and reducing morbidities for infants admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. However, the implementation is inconsistent. This systematic review aims to identify and understand the barriers to implementing Developmental Care on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit based on qualitative literature. 5 studies were included in this review. Following thematic analysis, 4 main barriers were identified, namely high workload and resource constraints, poor parental involvement in infant care, physical environment limitations, and organisational dynamics. Several elements must be considered when developing strategies to address the barriers identified in this review, including staff and parent education, Neonatal Unit design, and implementation of standardised guidelines at an organisational level. Further research needs to identify effective intervention strategies to address these barriers and improve Developmental Care implementation.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        systematic review
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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