Published online Jul 19, 2026. doi: 10.5498/wjp.119676
Revised: February 19, 2026
Accepted: March 24, 2026
Published online: July 19, 2026
Processing time: 143 Days and 9.6 Hours
The technologically intensive neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) environment often triggers substantial maternal anxiety. While kangaroo mother care (KMC) is a gold-standard intervention, its success depends heavily on the nurse’s role in managing the mother’s emotional burden and facilitating adaptation.
To explore neonatal nurses’ experiences, perceptions, and strategies related to managing maternal anxiety during KMC.
A qualitative descriptive design was employed. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 15 nurses selected using criterion sampling. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis.
Five overarching themes emerged: Manifestations of maternal anxiety, its effects on the care process, nurses’ anxiety management strategies, the emotional and professional impact on nurses, and clinical requirements for effective care. Nurses reported that anxiety most commonly stemmed from fear of harming the infant and concerns related to medical devices, often accompanied by observable emotional and physical distress. Anxiety occasionally limited participation in KMC and reduced the duration or quality of sessions. Effective management strategies included transparent information-sharing, therapeutic communication, involvement of fathers, and peer modeling. While successful anxiety regulation enhanced nurses’ professional satisfaction, environmental limitations and insufficient training that undermined professional confidence were identified as key systemic barriers.
Nurses function as critical external co-regulators who transform maternal fear into self-efficacy. Effective management requires a holistic integration of therapeutic communication, professional competence, and supportive NICU environments. Future initiatives should prioritize simulation-based training focused on the emotional dimensions of care and the ergonomic redesign of NICUs to support maternal mental health.
Core Tip: This qualitative descriptive study examines how nurses in the neonatal intensive care unit address maternal anxiety during kangaroo mother care. The findings reveal that nurses are not only clinical practitioners but also emotional regulators who transform maternal fear into self-efficacy through therapeutic communication and modeling. In contrast to the predominant focus on burnout in the field, effectively managing anxiety leads to substantial professional fulfillment for nurses. The study emphasizes the importance of addressing ergonomic inadequacies in the neonatal intensive care unit and strengthening nurses’ professional confidence through anxiety management training tailored to their needs.