Practices surrounding developmental care: Exploration of barriers and remedy strategies suggested by the experts
Developmental care represents a new approach in care that encourages the harmonious development of premature babies. Although this approach is increasingly common, the recommended behaviors for this care are not sufficiently adopted by the neonatal nurses. This research aims to explore the barriers the neonatal nurses encounter when adopting the practices surrounding developmental care and the strategies that need to be implemented in order to overcome these barriers. In order to achieve this, semi-directed interviews based on open questions were conducted with experts in the field and were analyzed with using a qualitative approach. This resulted in multiple barriers (mainly difficulties in redefining the role of the nurse) and a large amount of strategies for overcoming these barriers with individual, organizational, and institutional levers. To reach a larger individualization of care for premature infants, it is ultimately important to invest in every level by suggesting an individual and a collective reflective practice but also by raising awareness of each tier for developmental care.