Effect of the Postpartum Hospital Environment on the Attainment of Mothers' and Fathers' Goals.

OBJECTIVE: To describe mothers' and fathers' goals in the postpartum period and how the hospital environment enables or hinders the attainment of these goals.

DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive design was used to explore participants' perceptions.

SETTING: Mothers and fathers were recruited on the postpartum unit of an urban hospital.

PARTICIPANTS: Ten mothers and eight fathers participated.

METHODS: Semistructured interviews were conducted with mothers and fathers individually. Data analysis occurred concurrently with data collection and informed subsequent interviews.

RESULTS: Mothers and fathers expressed similar goals: developing parenting competence and fulfilling personal needs. Their narratives indicated that the organizational environment with the mission to promote and provide baby-friendly and family-centered care and the human environment of responsive nursing were closely aligned with their goals. In contrast, the routines of the unit and the physical environment were not consistent with parents' goals or the mission of the organization.

CONCLUSION: Nurses have important advocacy roles in ensuring that all dimensions of the postpartum environment support the ability of parents to attain their goals and align with the philosophy of care of the organization.