Background

Modern healthcare emphasises family-centred care, involving parents as collaborative partners. The aim of this study was to describe the experiences of parents' preparedness to participate in painful procedures in their infants’ neonatal care.

Methods

A qualitative study was conducted in two Estonian hospitals. Semi-structured interviews were held with 12 parents. Data were analysed using inductive content analysis.

Results

Parents' preparedness for painful procedures was connected to family-related factors and nursing support. The family-related factors included worry about the infant's poor health status, maternal tiredness, changes in the family situation and active seeking of knowledge. Nurses could support parents by using understandable terminology, adopting an inclusive attitude, providing opportunities to practice participating and helping them apply and verify relevant information.

Conclusions

Successful parental preparedness requires systematic consideration of unique family situations and supportive nursing strategies. Collaboration between families and nurses facilitates parental participation.