Listening to the voices of hospitalized high-risk antepartum patient.

To explore the needs of high-risk antepartum patients while hospitalized and to generate recommendations from the patients' perspective.Qualitative descriptive.Thirteen female patients in a high-risk antepartum unit of a large tertiary hospital, Edmonton, Alberta.A qualitative data analysis process was followed.The major themes and subthemes that emerged from interviews with participants included stressors associated with loss of control and feelings of being a burden. The need for privacy and sensitivity to family members was expressed. Participants' recommendations included being treated as a family unit, setting up accommodation for visiting family members, and wanting more organized activities to relieve boredom.An understanding of the needs of high-risk antepartum patients while hospitalized from their perspective will help the primary caregiver such as the registered nurse improve the quality of the women's care, provide guidance about the management of stressors, and plan interventions to reduce stress and to involve their families.