• Matina Lamari, Paediatric Physiotherapist – Limassol  General Hospital PhD student, Study Coordinator
• Ourania Kolokotroni, Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing – School of Health Sciences – Cyprus University of Technology Principal Investigator, Main PhD Supervisor
• Nikos Middletton, Associate Professor – Department of Nursing – School of Health Sciences – CUT PhD co-Supervisor, Study Researcher
• Christiana Nikolaou, Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing – School of Health Sciences – Cyprus University of Technology PhD co-Supervisor, Study Researcher
• Thalia Papadouri, NICU Director – Archbishop Makarios III Hospital
  PhD co-Supervisor, Study Researcher

The aim of the present study is to identify the barriers and facilitators for the implementation of IFCDC framework in Cyprus NICU’s (Archbishop Makarios III Hospital or Limassol General Hospital ) and design an intervention for effective implementation using Participatory Action Research approach.

The study will be conducted in 4 phases with the participation of all  stakeholders (Parents, Staff, Hospital Administrators) using mixed methodology, sequential explanatory design, as presented below:

Phase I – Exploration (quantitative measurements): Researcher’s Diary to record clinical practises according to the framework of IFCDC and baseline measurements to investigate clinical practises from the perspective of Parents and Staff. Results will inform phase IIA guide.

Phase II (A&B) – Exploration (qualitative measurements):

Phase IIA: Parents focus groups or/and interviews regarding their experiences of having a baby in the NICU and their views on improving existing clinical practices.

Phase IIB: Staff and Hospital Administrators workshops, based on the Behavioural Change Wheel in relation to the results of previous phases, regarding their attitudes towards IFCDC and their views on improving existing clinical practices.

Phase III – Mapping: Mapping of the previous phases results, based on the Theoretical Domains Framework and the Behavioural Change Wheel, to develop the workshops guide for the next phase.

Phase IV – Design: Workshops , composed of experts in IFCDC and stakeholders, will develop the intervention based on the results of the previous phases. Feasibility of the proposed intervention will be assessed based on the APEASE criteria.

Expected Outcomes: The study will identify the barriers and facilitators of implementing IFCDC in the NICU’s of Cyprus, but more importantly it will provide a proof of concept for the process of co-designing interventions using a structured and inclusive approach.

In the present study parents of NICU babies, Staff working in Cyprus NICU and hospital managrs are invited to participate in this study and contribute to the design of an intervention for the efeective implementation of IFCDC framework.
The study will be recruiting participants during Spring of 2024. If you belong to any of the below groups, please get in touch with us as we would like to hear from you:

 Parents whose child is hospitalized in a Cyprus NICU , for a period of at least 1 week
 Parents whose child has been recently hospitalized in a Cyprus NICU and has been discharged after 1.1.2023

 Health Professionals (Neonatologists, Nurses, Physiotherapists) working in Cyprus NICU’s and performing clinical duties for a period of at least 6 months
 Hospital Administrators of Archbishop Makarios III Hospital – SHSO and Limassol General Hospital – SHSO

Coming Soon

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  Portrait of newborn baby and hand inside incubator

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  Portrait of newborn baby and hand inside incubator

Ms Matina Lamari, Study Coordinator
Email: matinala23@gmail.com, my.lamari@edu.cut.ac.cy,

Dr Ourania Kolokotroni, Study Principal Investigator
Email: o.kolokotroni@cut.ac.cy

Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences,
Cyprus University of Technology
15, Vragadinou Str, 3041 Limassol, Cyprus
Tel: +357-25002250