Video Calls for Parental Stress

Overseen By Ugoeze Otome, MD

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Cook County Health

Disqualifiers: Drug exposure, Cardiac anomaly, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 5

70 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to determine if video calls can reduce stress for parents with babies in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). Parents will receive either regular phone updates or additional video calls, known as Serial Bedside Video Calls, to assess their impact on stress levels. The trial targets parents whose babies have been in the NICU for more than seven days. Participants will complete questionnaires to measure stress and anxiety throughout the study. The goal is to see if video calls improve the parent-infant relationship by reducing parental stress. As an unphased trial, this study provides a unique opportunity for parents to explore innovative ways to enhance their connection with their infants during a challenging time.

Do I need to stop my current medications to participate?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that serial bedside video calls are safe for reducing parental stress?

Research has shown that video calls at the bedside in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) can reduce stress for parents unable to be with their babies. These video calls are generally safe and have not demonstrated any major negative effects.

Studies have primarily examined the impact of these calls on stress levels, rather than potential side effects. Since video calls are a common part of everyday life, they are considered easy to use. The main focus remains on their effectiveness in reducing stress, not on safety concerns.

Overall, this type of communication is viewed as a helpful way to provide emotional support to parents during a challenging time. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about using serial bedside video calls to reduce parental stress in the NICU because this approach offers something new and personal. Unlike the standard phone or in-person updates, video calls provide a visual connection, allowing parents to see their baby and interact with the medical staff directly, even from a distance. This method could enhance emotional support and engagement, potentially reducing stress more effectively than traditional updates. Plus, using the "Doximity" app on an iPad makes it convenient and accessible, bridging the gap between hospital care and home.

What evidence suggests that serial bedside video calls are effective for reducing parental stress in the NICU?

Research shows that video calls at the bedside in the NICU can reduce stress for parents unable to be with their babies. These calls allow parents to see and hear their baby, fostering a sense of connection and reducing worry. Previous studies have shown that telehealth methods like this enhance family-focused NICU care and improve outcomes by reducing parental stress. In this trial, parents in the intervention group will receive regular bedside video calls, while those in the control group will receive routine phone and/or bedside updates. Although this study is new, strong evidence suggests that regular video calls could significantly lower stress levels for parents with babies in the NICU. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Nanda Vishakha, MD

Principal Investigator

John H Stroger Hospital of Cook County, IL

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for parents of infants who have been in the NICU for over a week. It's designed to see if video calls can help reduce their stress compared to just phone updates.

Inclusion Criteria

My newborn has been in the NICU for at least 7 days.

Exclusion Criteria

Infant with intrauterine drug exposure

My infant has a chromosomal disorder.

My infant has a significant brain or nerve condition.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1 week

Intervention

Parents in Group A receive serial video call communication 2-3 days a week in addition to daily phone and/or bedside updates. Group B receives routine phone and/or bedside updates.

8 weeks

2-3 video calls per week for Group A

Assessment

Parents complete a series of questionnaires (PSS-NICU, STAI Y-1 & 2, and MSPSS) at 3 designated periods during the 8-week time frame.

8 weeks

3 assessments

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in stress and anxiety levels after the intervention period.

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Serial Bedside Video Calls

Trial Overview The study tests whether regular video calls with audio to parents from the NICU can lessen their anxiety and improve parent-infant bonds, versus standard phone or bedside updates.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: GROUP A (intervention group) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Parents in this group will receive bedside video call 2-3 days a week in addition to the routine NICU phone update and/or bedside update using the NICU iPad w/ "Doximity" app.

Group II: Group B (control group) Active Control 1 Intervention

Parents in this group will receive the routine phone and/or bedside updates done in our NICU already without the intervention (serial video calls).

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Cook County Health

Lead Sponsor

Trials

47

Recruited

16,800+

Published Research Related to This Trial

This study aims to evaluate the impact of webcams in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) on the well-being of parents and clinical staff, involving 730 parents of premature babies across four NICUs.

Using a mixed methods approach, the study will assess both qualitative and quantitative effects of webcam use, including potential benefits for parents and any additional workload for nursing staff, making it the largest multicenter evaluation of its kind.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effects of webcams on German neonatal intensive care units - study protocol of a randomised crossover trial (Neo-CamCare). Scholten, N., Bretthauer, S., Eilermann, K., et al.[2021]

Video calls between ICU patients and their families significantly improved patients' vital signs, including pulse rate, respiratory rate, and Glasgow Coma Scale scores, indicating a positive physiological response during the calls.

Patient and family satisfaction with the video calls was high, with average scores of 4.80 and 4.87 out of 5, suggesting that this practice is well-received and could be beneficial in ICUs with restricted visitation.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Effect of Video Call with Family Members on Physiological Parameters of Critically Ill Patients in Intensive Care Unit: A Quasi-experimental Study. Uysal, N., Vaizoğlu, D.[2023]

Parents with experience using webcams in the NICU reported positive effects, such as increased feelings of proximity to their infants and reassurance about their well-being, highlighting the potential benefits of webcam use during hospital stays.

Parents without webcam experience expressed mixed feelings; while they recognized the potential for webcams to enhance feelings of control, they also had concerns about increased mental stress and its impact on their visitation behavior.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Webcam use in German neonatological intensive care units: an interview study on parental expectations and experiences. Reimer, A., Mause, L., Hoffmann, J., et al.[2021]

Webcam use in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) significantly reduces parental stress levels, as shown in a study involving 79 parents without webcam access and 80 parents with webcam access.

Nursing stress levels and burnout remained unchanged with webcam use, despite nurses' beliefs that it increased stress; only 14% of nurses thought webcams improved the quality of care for infants.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Use of an internet camera system in the neonatal intensive care unit: parental and nursing perspectives and its effects on stress. Kubicka, Z., Zahr, E., Clark, P., et al.[2023]

The implementation of web camera systems in NICUs, while appreciated by families, increased nurses' workload and stress, potentially impacting the quality of care provided to infants, as indicated by surveys from 623 on-camera and 130 off-camera infants.

Cultural factors influenced some families' decisions to opt out of the camera service, highlighting the need for awareness and training for nursing staff to manage the additional demands and ensure effective communication with families.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Web Camera Use in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Impact on Nursing Workflow. Joshi, A., Chyou, PH., Tirmizi, Z., et al.[2022]

Parents using telematic family-centred care (T-FCC) reported higher satisfaction and lower stress levels compared to those in the no family-centred care (N-FCC) group, indicating that video calls helped maintain a connection with their newborns during the pandemic.

While the T-FCC group benefited from improved communication and monitoring of their babies' conditions, the traditional family-centred care (FCC) group still showed the highest overall satisfaction, suggesting that in-person interactions remain important for optimal parental support.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Improving Care in Neonatal Intensive Units During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Survey on Electronic Health Communication. Giuseppe, B., Giuseppina, N., Desiree, S., et al.[2022]

Web-cameras in the NICU have been effectively used over the past decade to help connect parents with their hospitalized newborns, enhancing family support during critical times.

The successful implementation of a new web-camera system relies on collaboration with nurses and families, highlighting the importance of user input in technology design for positive outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Challenges of implementation of a web-camera system in the neonatal intensive care unit. Rhoads, SJ., Green, AL., Lewis, SD., et al.[2012]

Webcams in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) can facilitate virtual visitation for parents of preterm infants and those with congenital anomalies, helping them connect with their babies despite the stressful environment.

This innovative technology has the potential to enhance parent-infant bonding and lower parents' self-perceived stress during a challenging time.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Innovative technology offers virtual visitation for families. Thibeau, S., Ricouard, D., Gilcrease, C.[2016]

A study conducted at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia found that parents of NICU babies who used bedside web cameras reported lower stress levels related to separation from their infants.

This suggests that telehealth technologies, like bedside cameras, can be effective interventions to improve family-centered care and reduce parental stress during challenging times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parent Stress in Relation to Use of Bedside Telehealth, an Initiative to Improve Family-Centeredness of Care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Guttmann, K., Patterson, C., Haines, T., et al.[2021]

Citations

1. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06252883?utm_source=trialradar

Impact of Serial Bedside Video Calls on Stress Level in ... The goal of this randomized prospective interventional study is to determine if serial bedside video calls w/audio feature to NICU parents in addition to the ...

2. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/phase-stress-psychology-1-2024-fc246

Video Calls for Parental Stress Research shows that using bedside web cameras in the NICU can help reduce stress for parents who are separated from their babies, especially during challenging ...

3. centerwatch.com centerwatch.com/clinical-trials/listings/NCT06252883/impact-of-serial-bedside-video-calls-on-stress-level-in-parents-of-infants-admitted-to-nicu

Impact of Serial Bedside Video Calls on Stress Level in ... The goal of this randomized prospective interventional study is to determine if serial bedside video calls w/audio feature to NICU parents ...

4. clinicaltrial.be clinicaltrial.be/en/details/425102?only_active=0&only_eligible=0&only_recruiting=1&per_page=100

Impact of Serial Bedside Video Calls on Stress Level in P... Our study, to the best of our knowledge, will be the first to evaluate the impact of serial bedside video call w/audio feature to NICU parents, ...

5. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7786780/

Parent Stress in Relation to Use of Bedside Telehealth, an ... Bedside telehealth may have the potential to make NICU care more family-centered, reducing parent stress and improving outcomes. More broadly, as a result ...