Barriers to the implementation of the Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program in neonatal intensive care units and the proposed solutions to improve its implementation: a scoping review

Abstract

Background

The Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP) is one of the frameworks for providing developmental care that is associated with improving the short- and long- term developmental outcomes of infants. It is important to implement this care program in the best way possible to benefit from its positive outcomes. The present study aimed to summarize and report the results of various studies conducted on the barriers to the implementation of the NIDCAP in the neonatal intensive care unit and the proposed solutions to improve its implementation.

Methods

In this scoping review, published texts in English from 2007 to 2023 were identified using CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, Embase, ProQuest, Science Direct, Springer, Web of Science and Google Scholar search engine (for gray literature). Studies were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria and the findings were summarized in an inductive manner.

Results

We included 15 studies in our review. The results of extracting the findings of the articles included the barriers to the implementation of NIDCAP care in neonatal intensive care units, e.g., organizational and managerial barriers, barriers related to professionals, barriers related to parents, barriers related to infants, and barriers related to the department and equipment. The development of a coherent training program for NIDCAP team members, promotion of parents’ participation, development of research in the field of NIDCAP care, promotion of organizational support, optimization of NIDCAP implementation infrastructures and establishment of a developmental care team were identified as the most important proposed solutions.

Conclusion

Based on the findings, the implementation of NIDCAP care in the neonatal intensive care units faces many barriers in different areas. Managers and planners of the NIDCAP program can plan for the development of this approach in the health care system and improve its implementation to eliminate the identified barriers and benefit from the evidence-based solutions.