Visible and unseen scars: Reflective accounts of the long-term physical and emotional impacts of neonatal vascular access

Vascular access (VA) procedures are an almost universal experience for preterm infants and their parents. Recent innovations in VA device design and practice, including insertion techniques, securement strategies, and maintenance protocols, have sought to reduce short-term complications. However, VA may also be associated with a largely underexplored burden of longer-term consequences. This article presents a preliminary interpretation of contributions provided by 36 unrelated participants (13 adults born preterm, 23 parents) during an on-line group reflective activity supported by independent reflective accounts provided by the authors. Using an inductive thematic approach, six key themes were identified that capture both the visible and unseen consequences associated with early-life invasive procedures. Whilst exploratory, these findings highlight the potential long-term physical and emotional implications of neonatal VA and may help inform future discussion regarding compassionate, developmentally supportive, family-integrated care practices, as well as topics for future research.