Parental perception of neonatal retro-transfers from level 3 to level 2 neonatal intensive care units

Abstract

Objective

The primary objective of this study was to determine the overall parental satisfaction with retro-transfers from a level 3 to a level 2 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The secondary objectives were to explore factors that caused parental satisfaction associated with retro-transfer and investigate the factors that could be modified to improve the retro-transfer process.

Methods

This is a retrospective cross-sectional study. Questionnaires were mailed to all parents of infants transferred from level 3 to level 2 NICUs from 2016 to 2017. Independent samples t-tests, Spearman’s rank correlations, and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with parental retro-transfer satisfaction.

Results

Our response rate was 39.1% (n = 140). Of all parents, 64.29% parents were extremely satisfied with the overall retro-transfer process. In our bivariate analyses, multiple factors were found to be strongly associated with parental retro-transfer satisfaction, including parental level of education, the amount of notice and rationale given for the retro-transfer and the level of parental communication and engagement with their infant’s healthcare team before and after transfer. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that when questions regarding the retro-transfer were answered and the level 2 NICU team demonstrated a concrete understanding of the infant’s medical issues and history, parental satisfaction increased.

Conclusion

Majority of parents were satisfied with the retro-transfer process. However, close collaboration and ongoing and open lines of communication between parents and the level 3 NICU healthcare teams will increase parental retro-transfer satisfaction rates.

Keywords:

• Newborn
• parental perceptions
• retro-transfer
• neonatal intensive care unit

Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge and thank all parents who participated in our study. We would also like to thank, Dr. Rhodora Guillen, Dr. Daryoush Safdari and Leah Donnelly for assisting with data collection.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Author contributions

PM, AD, JS & AKL conceptualized the study. PM & JS facilitated data collection. AD & BD cleaned the data. KS & AK analyzed the data. PM, AD & BD drafted the manuscript. All authors provided critical feedback and approved the final manuscript.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.