Preocupaciones de los padres y/o madres de recién nacidos ingresados en una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos neonatales en el momemnto del alta

Introduction: the stay of a newborn in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is usually prolonged, which generates a certain dependency on the technology and the neonatal equipment on the parents. When hospital discharge of the newborn is near, parents show their insecurities in relation to the care and welfare of their child. The purpose of this study was to know the main concerns of parents and/or mothers of neonates admitted to the NICU in the moments prior to discharge, to promote new strategies aimed at alleviating their fears or specific deficiencies and empowering them in the first care of their children. Population and methods: a phenomenological qualitative descriptive study, carried out in the NICU of the Dr. Josep Trueta Hospital in Girona (Spain), based on in-depth individual interviews addressed to fathers and mothers of admitted newborns, between May and June 2016. Results: the analysis of the discourses identified the following thematic axes with their categories: insecurity when doing self-care, lack of formal support, fracture of expectations, abnormal situation, contradictions, dependence on technology and the neonatal team, doubts at home, normalization of situation, mixed feelings and satisfaction with the treatment received. Conclusions: the fears expressed reflect the parents' concerns about the well-being of their children, their involvement in care and the need for more accurate information, which can be resolved