A guest article by Corina Croitoru, President of the Association Unu și Unu Preterm babies, and ill newborns are properly treated from the medical point of view, but, the human dimension is often neglected. They are ‘just’ patients and the parents are ‘just’ visitors. By supporting FINE training in Romanian hospitals, Unu si Unu Association aims to change this situation.  The aim: “Through this project we want to support the babies and their parents. At birth, both the baby and the mother are very vulnerable and they need each other. The experience of the countries who applied the concept of infant- and family-centred developmental care showed us that this is the way to change the neonatal units. Because the units following the family-centred care concept have a huge impact on the neurological development level of the child, it could prevent disabilities and raise the bond and attachment between mother and child”, says Corina Croitoru, the president of the Association Unu și Unu. She initiated the project and her goal is to introduce these kind of centres where parents can take care of their babies in all neonatal units in Romania within the next five to ten years. The project “Little human in therapy” offers the chance that the little patient can be taken care by his or her own family. This approach respects one of the fundamental rights that every newborn has the right to not be separated from his parents (United Nations Convention, Children Rights, 1989). In this way, the parents will not only be accepted in neonatal intensive care units, but they also will be able to practice Kangaroo care, to take care of their babies, to feed them, taking them into their arms during the painful procedures. All this will take place, of course, after the children are stabilised and while respecting babies’ needs. Details of the project: Unu si Unu Association started the project “Little human in therapy” in 2 maternities: Polizu, National Institute for Health of Mother and child Bucharest and Maternity Dominic Stanca, Emergency Hospital Cluj-Napoca. 110 participants (20% doctors and 80% nurses) from both maternities attended the FINE LEVEL 1 training (3 sessions of 2 days each) by Inga Warren, Senior Trainer NIDCAP, UK NIDCAP from the University College London Hospital. Additional 12 guests from other maternities from Romania joined the course, in preparation of a future expansion of the project.  The feedback received from the medical staff was very positive: “The approach according to FINE principles will enhance the quality of medical care procedures with impact on neuro-development on short and long term for this category of newborns. The change of experience with the founder team from Great Britain, helped us with the implementation of the project in Polizu maternity. Our goal is to apply as many of the methods that we have learned as the position of the new born, building “nests” adequate for the needs of the preterm baby and create a special environment for the sensory development by respecting the epidemiological rules.” said Corina Datu neonatologist doctor in I.N.S.M.C. – maternity Polizu. “It was an amazing experience, and the presentation was very good. Things about all of us knew are good, both for the … Continue reading Developmental care for little patients – FINE trainings in Romania