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the study over 3 time points, including the same 16 nurses and 67 different parents at each time point (T1: 21 parents T2 & T3: 23 parents, respectively). As is typical for nursing in this setting, all participants were female. Results will be presented by group. Nursing participants Amongst the participants there were 10 nurses and 6 midwives. Experience on the neonatal unit ranged from 2 to 30 years, with previous educational experience varied: 7 had completed education at ‘Trung Cap’ level (no equivalent in UK higher education), 8 at Cao-dang (equivalent to a certificate in higher education in the UK) and 1 at BSc level (equivalent to BSc in UK). Manifest content analysis of the transcripts identified 14 basic categories, which could be grouped into 3 themes: (1) perceptions of the role of the neonatal nurse, (2) perception of the parental role and (3) professional recollections. The first theme, perceptions of the neonatal nursing role, consisted of 5 subthemes: (1) nurses’ view of their professional role (2) nurses’ perceptions of their interactions with parents (3) nurses’ views of parental support for their role (4) nurses’ views of challenges to their role and (5) perceived ethical challenges. The theme, subthemes and corresponding verbatim quotes can be found in Table 2. Nurses increasingly reported a growing sense of collaboration with their medical colleagues through better communication after the training course (T1:0% T2:46% T3:81%). A similar number of nurses throughout the study (T1:62% T2:56% T3:56%) reported a facilitative role towards helping parents care for their infants through ways such as providing information, encouragement and empathy. There was an increase over time in nurses reporting challenges in their relationship with parents (T1:6% T2:38% T3:50%), mainly focused on communication issues. There was a small increase at T2 and T3 (question modified from T1 so no data from T1) in the number of nurses reporting ethical challenges (T2:12% T3:19%), for example when they could not save the life of a baby or when informing parents that their baby had died. The second theme, nurses’ perception of the parents, consisted of 3 subthemes: (1) parental role (2) parental ward activities and responsibilities (3) parental participation in baby cares (Table 3). Nurses consistently reported that the parents played an important role in supporting their baby’s progress, although this decreased slightly as the study progressed (T1:56% T2:25% T3:38%). There was an increase over the study period in nurses reporting they felt that the role of the parents was to support the nurses through providing information about their baby or being present to take care of their baby (T1:0% T2:44% T3:50%). Compared with T1, more nurses in T2 and T3 discussed that parents should adhere to hygiene principles on the neonatal unit (T1:6% T2:44% T3:44%), and that they should be involved in their infant’s care, such as bathing their baby, nappy changes, breastfeeding and making their baby feel comfortable. The third theme, professional reflections, consisted of 5 subthemes: (1) pride as a neonatal nurse (2) working environment changes (3) perceptions of professional training (4) personal improvements and (5) advice for new neonatal nurses (Table 4). There was a large increase over time in nurses reporting that they took pride in seeing an infant’s condition improve (T1:0% T2:50% T3:69%). There was also a continuing increase over time in the number of nurses who reported that improved unit facilities made them feel proud (T1:0% T2:13% T3:25%), although many remained unsure as to how they could improve their working environment. A small number of individual nurses suggested learning from mistakes, practical approaches to maximising efficiency of Table 1 example of manifest content analysis Code (meaning unit) Condensed unit/category (frequency count at each time point) Sub theme Theme “The relationship with the doctors and nurses is much better than before. Previously we have long distances and work under their command but after the training we become more intimate and interactive” (T2 N6) Improved communication T1:0% T2:46% T3:81% professional role Perception of nursing role “Some of
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