PhD Student Vance Receives NANN Award

Congratulations to Ashlee Vance, and her faculty sponsor Deb Brandon, who has received an award for her National Association of Neonatal Nurses proposal entitled "Trajectory of Parenting Confidence among Parents of Infants with Complex Chronic Conditions." This award is for a one-year period and was awarded at $5,000.

Abstract: Infants with complex chronic conditions (I-CCCs) have substantial caregiving needs and high healthcare utilization. Parents of I-CCCs develop confidence and learn how to parent their infant within the hospital environment. Parenting confidence (PC) is defined as a parent’s belief about their ability to be successful in their parenting role. Contextual factors like family centered care, family functioning, and infant caregiving complexity are hypothesized to foster the development of PC. The purpose of this study is to understand parent trajectories of confidence and the influence of contextual factors on the development of parent confidence over time.

The new knowledge gained from this study will further our awareness about the multifaceted needs of parents who have infants requiring specialized medical care. A confident parent is fundamental to the long-term health and development of I-CCCs. Understanding how confidence develops and the influence of contextual factors will allow both clinicians and researchers to develop strategies and support parents in developing confidence.