Interventions for supporting parents of infants requiring neonatal inter-hospital transport: A systematic review

Background: Neonatal inter-hospital transport is associated with heightened stress for parents whose needs may remain unmet around this time.

Aim: To identify interventions which are used to support parents whose infants require neonatal inter-hospital transport.

Study Design: A systematic literature review approach was used. Six online databases (CINAHL, EMBASE, EMCARE, Medline, PsycINFO, Web of Science) were searched up to February 2022. The eligibility criteria included interventional studies published in the English language. Methodological quality was assessed by the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklists. Data were extracted using a predefined framework and synthesized narratively because of heterogeneity of reported outcomes.

Results: A total of 671 articles were screened, with five meeting the eligibility criteria. Three interventions were reported within the five studies: a communication-based intervention before transport represented by 223 parents in one study, Kangaroo Care during transport, which was carried out with 136 infants in three studies, and video calls after transport evaluated by one study in seven parents versus a control group. The effectiveness of the interventions could not be reliably determined. Neonatal nurses were the main providers of all the interventions pre-, peri-, and post-transport.

Conclusion: Limited evidence of mixed quality and inconsistent outcome measurements is available. Future research should focus on developing a contemporary intervention, determining the optimum timing for its implementation, and evaluating it using a robust study design.

Relevance to Clinical Practice: Neonatal nurses need to be aware of the importance of their role in supporting parents through the distressing time of neonatal transport.