Actions caring and essential needs of premature infants after hospital discharge: scoping review

Abstract

Objective

to identify and analyze the actions taken by family and health professionals to care for children born prematurely after hospital discharge.

Method

a scoping review, developed in December 2019, according to the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines and the international PRISMAScR guide. Original studies, published in English, Spanish or Portuguese from 2013 to 2019 in CINAHAL, Medline, LILACS, Cochrane, Scopus, Web of Science databases were investigated. The 21 included articles were submitted to directed content analysis supported by the framework of essential needs of children.

Results

actions for physical protection and safety (20 articles), stable and supportive communities (10 articles) n followed by ongoing supportive relationships (6 articles), experiences that respect individual differences (4 articles), and developmentally appropriate experiences (2 articles) predominated. Actions for boundary setting, organization, and expectations were not identified in the studies.

Conclusions and implications for practice

the care actions contemplate the physical dimension. Considering comprehensive care and the findings of this review, advances in actions are needed to adress other dimensions of preterm infant’s life, such as emotional and social.

Keywords:
Infant Premature; Infant Care; Child Health; Hospital Discharge; Nursing Care