Description of the volition of preterm infanrs's mothers in the neonatal intensive care unit

Abstract

Objective: To describe the volitional state of mothers who have premature infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), in order to recognize the necessary support that the Occupational Therapist must give to the professional team and to the mothers, thus giving these mothers and their newborn children a correct and efficient multidisciplinary intervention while being in this complicated process which they find themselves living after a premature birth. Method: A qualitative exploratory study, from a phenomenological perspective was carried out. The Volitional Questionnaire was used to assess the volitional state and current situation lived by the mothers. The study was performed with 8 mothers from the NICU at UC Christus Clinical Hospital. Results: A large majority of the mothers in the study were found to be in the Competency stage of volitional continuous. The mother’s experience from the NICU and their performance in this new role was found to be impacted mainly by the social environment in the Unit, principally given by the multidisciplinary team of professionals. Conclusions: It was possible to visualize a need in these mothers, and it is estimated that the Occupational Therapist can respond using their field of knowledge with a holistic approach of the person, as a part of the multidisciplinary team of professionals, working directly with these mothers.