Author(s)

Birgitta Lindberg, Kerstin Öhrling

Department of Health Science, Lule? University of Technology, Lule?, Sweden.

The purpose of this paper was to describe the development, planning and implementing of an internet-based intervention program for providing support to families with prematurely born infants. During the families initial stay at home with their infant; families were given access to use of videoconference system from their home to have contact with staff at the neonatal unit, via direct link, throughout twenty-four hours. This program successfully ended, and video-conferencing is incorporated as a tool to support families after coming home. Probably, a variety of factors has contributed to make this program successful, as for example user friendliness and the close collaboration between researchers and staff at the neonatal unit. In conclusion, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) must be taken into consideration in developing upcoming care, thereby making possible a program to extend accessibility to health care.

Intervention Program; Preterm Born; Support; Videoconferencing

Lindberg, B. and Öhrling, K. (2012) An internet-based intervention program for supporting families with prematurely born infants. Open Journal of Nursing, 2, 72-78. doi: 10.4236/ojn.2012.22012.