Close Collaboration with the Parents – family-centred intensive care

The training program is based on the assumption that parental care and an emerging relationship with the parents are crucial for the development of the newborn infant. The early parent-infant relationship is a unique developmental stage. Therefore, the parents can support the development of their preterm or sick newborn already during hospitalization by being present and by providing them with love and care.

Often a parent of a newborn infant has an intuitive need to stay close to his/her infant to protect and get to know her/him. Therefore, a separation from the newborn may cause stress and anxiety for the parents. Parents' unlimited possibility to participate in the care of their infant during intensive care also supports their own well-being and thereby, the relationship with their infant.

Parents' presence in the unit and participation in the infant care is influenced by care culture e.g. how they are welcomed to the unit, how opportunities to participate in infant care are provided, and how their opinions are heard in decision making. The Close Collaboration with Parents Training Program aims to increase staff capacity to support early parent-infant relationship and to create a partnership with parents in the care of their infant.

The entire Turku University Hospital neonatal intensive care unit staff has participated in the training program. Our unit is also a training centre for units in other hospitals.

See a Close collaboration between parents and staff in neuonatal care -video (Dreambroker).