Paternal Involvement in Nursing Guidance and Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy in Mothers of High-Risk Newborns

This study aims to evaluate whether a structured nursing guidance program that increases fathers' participation in the care of hospitalized high-risk newborns improves maternal outcomes compared with routine nursing care. Parents of high-risk newborns admitted to a neonatal intermediate care unit will be enrolled. Families in the control group will receive routine nursing education provided during hospitalization. Families in the intervention group will receive a structured nursing guidance program that includes step-by-step parent education, written educational materials, instructional videos, and active father participation in breastfeeding support and infant care. The study will compare the two groups on maternal breastfeeding self-efficacy, perceived spousal support, perceived nursing support, parental stress, breastfeeding-related anxiety, and breastfeeding practices at hospital discharge and one month after discharge. The findings may help develop family-centered nursing interventions that enhance paternal involvement and improve breastfeeding outcomes for families with high-risk newborns.

Inclusion Criteria: * Both parents must be 18 years of age or older. * Both parents must live in the same residence. * Both parents must be able to communicate in Mandarin Chinese or Taiwanese. * Their child must be a high-risk newborn admitted to the neonatal intermediate care ward for at least three days. * Their child must not have returned home after admission to the neonatal intermediate care ward.