TITLE:
Women’s Experience of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. A Qualitative Study
AUTHORS:
Amponsah Emefa Akua, Joana Afutu
KEYWORDS:
Women’s Experiences, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Social Support, Healing
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.10 No.9,
August
31,
2022
ABSTRACT: Background: This article discusses the experiences of women who have had babies at
the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in the greater Accra region of Ghana. Methods: A primary data collection samples are women who had babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in some
selected hospitals in Ghana. Primary data from a qualitative research
methodology samples women. Aim: The study creates awareness of the challenges women
go through that when they have babies they go
through the intensive care phase. It highlights the
need for social and the study looks at the women’s experience within the
context of NICU in one of the hospitals in Ghana. Even though the results
cannot be generalized, the result can help and encourage women in similar
situations to find strength from the
experiences of the interviewed women, draw
strength from their shared stories and apply some of their techniques to
enable them to go through their experience. Results: Social and psychological support
helps the women to go through the NICU period. Conclusion: Anxiety,
uncertainty and powerlessness are some of the negative effects to a mother of an infant in the NICU experiences. This situation can improve
with the right kind of socio-psychological support. Access to information,
guidance and practical support can help mothers go through the NICU and healing
phase with their babies.