Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42776660›Full record

ReviewPediatric reports2026

Community-Based Follow-Up After NICU Discharge: A Practice-Focused Narrative Review of Nursing and Midwifery Care for Preterm Infants.

Vikentia Harizopoulou, Angeliki Bolou, Evdoxia Tsiakiri, Maria Bouroutzoglou, Victoria Vivilaki, Dimitra Metallinou

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Pediatric reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Vikentia HarizopoulouDepartment of Midwifery, School of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece.ORCID 0009-0001-6004-1205
Angeliki BolouDepartment of Midwifery, School of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece.
Evdoxia TsiakiriDepartment of Midwifery, School of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece.ORCID 0009-0005-1986-2342
Maria BouroutzoglouDepartment of Midwifery, School of Health Sciences, International Hellenic University, 57400 Thessaloniki, Greece.
Victoria VivilakiDepartment of Midwifery, School of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece.ORCID 0000-0002-7111-481X
Dimitra MetallinouDepartment of Midwifery, School of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece.ORCID 0000-0003-1788-3818

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND/

objectivesPreterm birth remains a significant global public health challenge, associated with increased morbidity, rehospitalisation, and long-term vulnerability. The transition from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to the home environment represents a critical phase. This practice-focused narrative review synthesises current evidence on community-based post-discharge follow-up for preterm infants, with particular emphasis on the complementary contribution of community health nursing and midwifery within multidisciplinary follow-up models, endocrine-metabolic surveillance and coordinated care for medically complex infants.

methodsA narrative synthesis of review articles, clinical guidelines, and empirical studies published between 2016 and 2026 was undertaken. Searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL using terms related to preterm birth, NICU discharge, community follow-up, family-centred care, community health nursing, midwifery, and metabolic disorders.

resultsCommunity-based, family-centred follow-up programmes are associated with improved continuity of care, increased parental confidence, enhanced breastfeeding outcomes, and reduced healthcare utilisation. Community health nurses, midwives and health visitors contribute complementary expertise within multidisciplinary follow-up by coordinating continuity of care, providing clinical surveillance of growth and feeding, supporting caregiver education, facilitating early identification of complications, and ensuring timely referral. However, endocrine and metabolic vulnerabilities remain underrepresented in many follow-up models, while infants with complex healthcare needs require individualised, risk-stratified surveillance.

conclusionsCommunity-based, interdisciplinary, and family-centred follow-up after NICU discharge is essential to enhance the quality and safety of care for preterm infants. Integrated, risk-stratified models of follow-up that combine preventive surveillance, family education, multidisciplinary coordination, and continuity of care may facilitate earlier recognition of complications and improve long-term outcomes.

Indexed as

community health nursingcontinuity of carefamily-centred caremidwiferyNICU dischargepost-discharge follow-uppreterm infantsprimary caretransition of care

Identifiers

PMID42776660
PMCPMC13600117

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.