Sibling experiences in the neonatal intensive care unit: An integrative review

Aim

To identify and synthesise available evidence of sibling experiences in the neonatal intensive care unit or special care nursery.

Design

An integrative review of primary research on siblings’ experiences in the neonatal intensive care unit or special care nursery.

Data sources

CINAHL, MEDLINE, Scopus, Cochrane and APA PsycInfo electronic databases were searched including a manual search of reference lists within the relevant studies. No limitations are placed on dates of publication. Original peer-reviewed studies published in English were included in this review.

Methods

This integrative review was guided by Whittemore and Knafl's five step framework. The literature search used PRISMA guidelines and quality appraisal using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Five articles reporting the experiences of siblings of infants in the neonatal intensive care unit or special care nursery were included. Thematic analysis was applied to synthesis of the data.

Results

A total of five studies, comprising two qualitative and three quantitative studies met the inclusion criteria. The three themes regarding siblings' experiences of infants in the neonatal intensive care unit or special care nursery identified in the literature are as follows: siblings' behavioural change, siblings' knowledge and feelings, and siblings’ satisfaction.

Conclusion

This review integrates the primary research to elucidate the needs of siblings of sick infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. It is imperative to maintain healthy siblings' positive adaptation to their sick infants' situation by considering their parents’ needs who are at risk of suffering from acute stress or post-traumatic stress disorders. Furthermore, clear guidelines in family centred care are necessary for considering siblings visits in the neonatal intensive care unit or special care nursery.