A qualitative study to explore the experience of parents of newborns admitted to neonatal care unit in rural Rwanda

Background: Neonatal Care Units (NCUs) provide special care to sick and small newborns and help reduce neonatal mortality. For parents, having a hospitalized newborn can be a traumatic experience. In sub-Saharan Africa, there is limited literature about the parents’ experience in NCUs. Objective: Our study aimed to explore the experience of parents in the NCU of a rural district hospital in Rwanda. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted with parents whose newborns were hospitalized in the Ruli District Hospital NCU from September 2018 to January 2019. Interviews were conducted using a semi-structured guide in the participants’ homes by trained data collectors. Data were transcribed, translated, and then coded using a structured code book. All data were organized using Dedoose software for analysis. Results: Twenty-one interviews were conducted primarily with mothers (90.5%, n = 19) among newborns who were most often discharged home alive (90.5%, n = 19). Four themes emerged from the interviews. These were the parental adaptation to having a sick neonate in NCU, adaptation to the NCU environment, interaction with people (healthcare providers and fellow parents) in the NCU, and financial stressors. Conclusion: The admission of a newborn to the NCU is a source of stress for parents and caregivers in rural Rwanda, however, there were several positive aspects which helped mothers adapt to the NCU. The experience in the NCU can be improved when healthcare providers communicate and explain the newborn’s status to the parents and actively involve them in the care of their newborn. Expanding the NCU access for families, encouraging peer support, and ensuring financial accessibility for neonatal care services could contribute to improved experiences for parents and families in general.