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Other content tagged: NICU

Putting the preterm infant in the centre of all care: Impressions from Erasmus Hospital, Brussels

Guest article by Lívia Nagy Bonnard, founding member of “Melletted a helyem Egyesület” – “Right(s) Beside You Association” in English – and a member of the Parent, Patient and Public Advisory Board of the European Standards of Care for Newborn Health (ESCNH). During each NICU visit, I think to myself, “If my son had been treated here, in this ward, as an extremely preterm baby, how different – or better – would my NICU experience have been? Would there have…
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Mother-Newborn Couplet Care: Recommendations to implement and improve coupled care from Nordic practice

As preterm newborns and mothers have different medical needs, they are usually treated on different wards. However, the concept of mother-newborn coupled care breaks with that tradition and instead keeps them together throughout their hospitalization. This allows for immediate skin-to-skin contact after birth, a higher quality of care, and lower rates of morbidity and mortality for the infant. The concept is already well-established in Swedish and Finish maternity hospitals and serves as a…
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Examining the positive effects of family involvement at the neonatal intensive care unit for newborns and their parents

The stay in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) demands a lot from new parents. The physical and emotional separation between the newborn and their parents often creates feelings of helplessness and stress. Family-centred care (FCC) concepts can help to improve the parents’ mental well-being and the infant’s physical health. The FCC intervention enables parents to be with their child at any time and empowers them to care for their newborn. It also involves…
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PICAPP – An app to support the development of preterm babies

Guest article by Livia Nagy, founder of “Right(s) beside you Association” (“Melletted a helyem Egyesület”) One in 11 newborns in Hungary is born preterm. Families are caught unprepared facing preterm birth and one of the main objectives of the “Right(s) beside you Association” (“Melletted a helyem Egyesület”) is to support parents in this unexpected life situation from the very beginning in the NICU. Lack of information but also fears from inappropriate internet materials further complicate the situation for parents. The…
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Exploring Parental Bereavement Support in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

A recent systematic review from Canada explored parental experiences and bereavement in the NICU, shedding light on the challenges of infant loss. Healthcare professionals are crucial in supporting parents, which can be done by facilitating meaningful moments and using clear communication. Strategies like shared decision-making, parental involvement in activities, and bonding time were also found to help with grief. Other resources like spiritual care and counselling are also essential. Understanding parents' needs in neonatal loss…
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Impact of a sensory-based intervention in the NICU on parents and their preterm born babies

35 families received the Supporting and Enhancing Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Sensory Experiences (SENSE) programme-based intervention. The preterm born babies (≤ 32 weeks of pregnancy) experienced sensory exposures like human touch or massage on each day of their NICU hospitalisation. The main aim of the study was to find out whether it makes a difference who is performing (parents vs. volunteers/professionals) the sensory activity regarding the babies' neurobehaviour and parental mental health. In the…
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Experience of a Mother‑Newborn Care Unit (MNCU) in India – A successful example of Zero Separation

In the iKMC study, the effect of immediate kangaroo mother care (KMC) was investigated. Researchers implemented new facilities where sick and small newborns resided with their mothers 24/7 and were encouraged to practice immediate KMC. This new concept showed better health outcomes for the mother and the baby, including a 25% lower death rate during the first 28 days of life. Zero separation…
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Parent-support intervention in end-of-life-care at a neonatal intensive care unit in China

A study conducted at a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in China investigated the impact of parental involvement in the end-of-life-care (EOLC) of their preterm infants on parental depression and satisfaction with their child’s medical treatment. Parents who received the intervention spent time caring for their newborn in the final days of the infant’s life and experienced lower levels of depression and greater satisfaction with the care provided than those who opted for standard EOLC.…
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Developmentally supportive care among NICU nurses in South Korea

The implementation of developmentally supportive care can directly impact the health outcome of preterm babies.  A study evaluated South Korean NICU nurses’ experience and perception regarding this approach. Of the 160 participants, almost half could not provide adequate developmentally supportive care, and all nurses indicated the need for education on the matter. Preterm birth rates have increased in South Korea during the last years, and management and care provision has become a significant healthcare…
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Family Integrated Care to Improve Paternal Mental Health

A study conducted in the Netherlands examined the mental health of fathers of preterm infants after their stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Responses of 126 fathers who were enrolled in integrated family care units (FICare) were compared to those of 137 fathers in standard neonatal care units (SNC). It is known that active participation in the care of their infants during NICU stay has a positive impact on maternal mental health…
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