| Background:Recent world-wide data indicates that around one in ten babies, or more than 15 million every year throughout the world, require some form of special care. Infants born preterm have a greater risk of health problems, such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia and cerebral palsy. They are also at risk of developmental problems such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and behavioral problems. Premature birth and the first few days of life disrupt the relationship between the child and his or her parents and restoring this disrupted relationship poses a challenge in the neonatal intensive care unit. Although a significant amount of research has focused on the experience of mothers, little is known about men’s experience in connection of their preterm infants. There is research evidence showing that fathers may be unprepared for the hospitalization and unsure about their infant’s survival. This can affect the transition to fatherhood. The premature birth may disrupt the normal father-infant interaction, which leading to emotional problems for fathers and illness uncertainty is one of the main one. Successful psychological management of the preterm infants influenced by the effectiveness of the parents’ coping with the illnessevents. Nurses who care for preterm infants should understand the challenges of this experience in order to provide care that helps fathers cope with the situation. With the development of informational technology, informational support has been applied to clinical nursing practice, which has been confirmed to decrease the level of illness uncertainty by relieving the stimulation people can perceive. Therefore, considering the situation of most NICU of inland operating with the rule of limited visiting time for parents, this research is aimed to explore the influence of informational support on fathers’ perception of illness uncertainty, whose preterm infants hospitalized in NICU.Objective:To evaluate the effectiveness of informational support on uncertainty of fathers of preterm infants hospitalized in NICU.Methods:This research is quasi-experimental study.64 fathers of preterm infants were assigned to intervention group and control group during April to November in 2014.32 fathers in the intervention group received informational support except the routine care. The detailed content of informational support consists of feedback of the nursing plan, communication though new media application, growth dairy, interaction of voice and parents meeting.32 fathers in the control group received the routine care and delayed intervention.Uncertainty of both groups was rated with Parents’ Perception of Uncertainty Scale (PPUS) at the time of transferring into NICU and being discharged from NICU, and 2 weeks after informational support. Needs of both groups was rated with NICU Family Needs Inventory (NFNI) at the time of transferring into NICU and being discharged from NICU.Results:At the end of research,60 fathers finished the procedure of data collection. (1) When their preterm infants were admitted into the NICU, the level of fathers’ illness uncertainty is higher than normal value (117.88±14.61 vs 90.75±10.49). (2) Both on 2 weeks after informational support and at the time of preterm infants being discharged from NICU, PPUS score of intervention group was significantly lower than control group (t=4.78,P=0.012;t=4.19,P=0.000). (3) Both on 2 weeks after informational support and at the time of preterm infants being discharged from NICU, PPUS subscales score of multi-attributed ambiguity, lack of clarity, lack of information and unpredictability of intervention group was significantly lower than control group (t=1.53,P=0.004;t=3.43,P=0.012;t=1.73,P=0.034;t=1.84,P=0.002; t=1.34,P=0.022;t=2.36,P=0.043;t=1.32,P=0.042;t=2.11,P=0.047). (4) At the time of preterm infants being discharged from NICU, NFNI total score and subscales of information need and support need score of intervention group was significantly lower than control group (t=1.529,P=0.006;Z=-2.847,P=0.012;Z=-1.176,P=0.002).Conclusions:(1) Informational support could relieve uncertainty in fathers of preterm infants on 2 weeks after informational support and at the time of preterm infants being discharged from NICU. (2) Informational support could satisfy the needs of information and support of fathers during their preterm infants’hospitalization in NICU.
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