'All for the well-being of the infant': nurses' perceptions of preterm infants' eye examinations: a phenomenographic study.

BACKGROUND

Preterm infants are at risk of complications due to their prematurity and Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is one of them. To discover and treat ROP the preterm infants regularly undergo eye examinations. Nurses are responsible for the infants' care during this painful and stressful procedure.

AIM: The aim of this study was to explore nurses' perceptions of preterm infants' eye examinations.

METHODS

Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 nurses experienced in participating in preterm infants' eye examinations. Data were analysed using a phenomenographic approach.

RESULTS

The results showed several perceptions of the eye examinations, and the analysis resulted in four descriptive categories: Infants are affected by the eye examination; Nurses have comprehensive overall responsibility for the infants; Parents are important to their infants, but they need support to fulfil their parental role, and Collaboration is important for the examination's favourable outcome. The category Nurses have comprehensive overall responsibility for the infants was regarded as the most comprehensive, covering all the other categories.

CONCLUSIONS

Nurses felt a great responsibility during a painful and stressful procedure for preterm infants. Infants' well-being could be better protected by interprofessional collaboration, improved nursing care and involved parents.