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Neonatal Intensive Care Unit discharge preparedness among families with limited english proficiency

Journal of Perinatology volume 39, pages 135–142 (2019)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective

We compared the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit discharge preparedness of families with and without Limited English Proficiency (LEP).

Study design

We performed a retrospective analysis of discharged families. Each family’s discharge preparation was self-assessed on the day of discharge, and the discharging nurse assessed the family’s overall emotional and technical discharge preparedness all on 9-point Likert scales. Families were considered not prepared for discharge if they rated themselves or the nurse rated their preparedness as <7 on the Likert scale.

Results

Among 1307 discharged families, 90 had LEP. The odds of being prepared for discharge were the same for both groups (aOR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.27–1.41; p = 0.258). In multivariable analyses, families with LEP were less likely to be prepared with technical baby care skills (aOR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.13–0.81).

Conclusion

Families with LEP are at higher risk and may require special attention when preparing for NICU discharge.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA

    Evelyn Obregon, Camilia R. Martin, Ivan D. Frantz III & Vincent C. Smith

  2. Division of Newborn Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Camilia R. Martin, Ivan D. Frantz III & Vincent C. Smith

  3. Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA

    Palak Patel

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  1. Evelyn Obregon
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Correspondence to Evelyn Obregon.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Obregon, E., Martin, C., Frantz III, I. et al. Neonatal Intensive Care Unit discharge preparedness among families with limited english proficiency. J Perinatol 39, 135–142 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-018-0255-z

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