The purpose of this book is to offer nurses, physicians, and other staff a primer on family-centered care of the newborn. It addresses the theme of family-centered care of the newborn and how to establish partnerships with the family prenatally and postnatally, as well as delineates best practices to improve both the quality of newborn care and family support. The book is based on four guiding principles that include treating people with dignity and respect, providing information in ways that are useful and affirming, welcoming family participation in care and decision-making at a level chosen by the family, and collaborating with families at the bedside and beyond. To participate effectively in shared information and decision-making with parents, people must improve their ability to communicate. Communication skills in these situations are as important as technical skills and clinical competence. The book offers strategies to promote implementation of a family-centered environment in the delivery room or neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), practical approaches to communicating with families before and after delivery, and tips on policy review to facilitate a culture of family-centered care. It also discusses how to welcome families during interdisciplinary rounds and nurse hand-offs, and ways to support families during procedures and resuscitation.
