Virtual family-centered hospital rounds in the neonatal intensive care unit: protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial

Jennifer L Rosenthal; Daniel J Tancredi; James P Marcin; Audriana Ketchersid; Elva T Horath; Erika N Zerda; Trevor R Bushong; Daniel S Merriott; Patrick S Romano; Heather M Young; Kristin R Hoffman

doi:10.1186/s13063-023-07340-x

Virtual family-centered hospital rounds in the neonatal intensive care unit: protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial

Trials. 2023 May 16;24(1):331. doi: 10.1186/s13063-023-07340-x.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatrics, University of California Davis, 2516 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA. rosenthal@ucdavis.edu.
² Center for Health and Technology, University of California Davis, 4610 X Street, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA. rosenthal@ucdavis.edu.
³ Department of Pediatrics, University of California Davis, 2516 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA.
⁴ Center for Health and Technology, University of California Davis, 4610 X Street, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA.
⁵ Department of Internal Medicine and Center for Healthcare Policy and Research, University of California Davis, 4150 V St, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA.
⁶ Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, University of California Davis, 2570 48Th St, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA.

Abstract

Background: Family-centered rounds is recognized as a best practice for hospitalized children, but it has only been possible for children whose families can physically be at the bedside during hospital rounds. The use of telehealth to bring a family member virtually to the child's bedside during hospital rounds is a promising solution. We aim to evaluate the impact of virtual family-centered hospital rounds in the neonatal intensive care unit on parental and neonatal outcomes.

Methods: This two-arm cluster randomized controlled trial will randomize families of hospitalized infants to have the option to use telehealth for virtual hospital rounds (intervention) or usual care (control). The intervention-arm families will also have the option to participate in hospital rounds in-person or to not participate in hospital rounds. All eligible infants who are admitted to this single-site neonatal intensive care unit during the study period will be included. Eligibility requires that there be an English-proficient adult parent or guardian. We will measure participant-level outcome data to test the impact on family-centered rounds attendance, parent experience, family-centered care, parent activation, parent health-related quality of life, length of stay, breastmilk feeding, and neonatal growth. Additionally, we will conduct a mixed methods implementation evaluation using the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) framework.

Discussion: The findings from this trial will increase our understanding about virtual family-centered hospital rounds in the neonatal intensive care unit. The mixed methods implementation evaluation will enhance our understanding about the contextual factors that influence the implementation and rigorous evaluation of our intervention.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05762835. Status: Not yet recruiting. First posted: March 10, 2023; last update posted: March 10, 2023.

Keywords: Clinical trial; Neonatal intensive care units; Neonate; Patient-centered care; Patient-reported outcome measures; Pediatrics; Telemedicine.

Publication types

Clinical Trial Protocol

MeSH terms

Adult
Child
Family
Hospitals
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Intensive Care Units, Neonatal*
Parents
Quality of Life*
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

Associated data

ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT05762835

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Associated data

Grants and funding