NICU nurses’ experiences of providing internet-based nursing consultation services: a descriptive qualitative study

Objective To explore the experiences, perceived barriers, risk concerns, and support needs of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurses providing internet-based nursing consultation services to parents and other caregivers of newborns. Methods A descriptive qualitative study was conducted in the NICU of a tertiary hospital in Beijing, China. Purposive sampling was used to recruit nurses with direct experience in providing internet-based nursing consultations. Twelve NICU nurses participated in individual, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews conducted between April and May 2026. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and returned to participants for participant transcript verification. Data were analyzed using inductive content analysis based on the approach of Graneheim and Lundman. Two researchers independently conducted coding and reached consensus through discussion. The study was reported in accordance with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ). Results Four themes and nine subthemes emerged from the data. Theme 1, perceived value of internet-based nursing consultation, included highlight clinical service value and enhance personal professional value. Theme 2, barriers to implementation of internet-based nursing consultation, comprised imperfect platform functionality, inadequate consultation matching and information acquisition, and lack of institutional development and insufficient platform promotion. Theme 3, heightened risk perception and responsibility pressure, included clinical judgment risks, and communication and reputational risks. Theme 4, negotiating work demands and resource support, comprised flexible working hours and workload balance and resource support and training needs. Participants perceived internet-based nursing consultation as a convenient way to extend professional nursing support and enhance nurses' sense of professional value. However, inadequate platform functionality, inappropriate consultation matching, incomplete information, clinical uncertainty, communication risks, workload pressures, and insufficient organizational support constrained service delivery. Conclusion Internet-based nursing consultation may extend specialized nursing support to families of newborns and provide nurses with opportunities for professional development and value affirmation. However, participants' accounts suggest that sustainable implementation may benefit from clear boundaries of nursing consultation, appropriate referral and escalation pathways, improved consultation matching and platform functionality, workload and specialist-resource support, and targeted training for managing complex and uncertain neonatal care concerns.