BabyLink – increased involvement with decision making through improved communication with families of babies in a neonatal unit

Andrew Lyon; Ben Stenson; Yvonne Freer; Clare Coyle;
neonatal unit, Simpson Centre for Reproductive Health, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
(adapted for Liverpool Women's Hospital)

Background

Good communication with the families of children in hospital has become increasingly important.

Parents want to know all aspects of their child’s illness and care and be involved in decision making with clinical staff.

Defining the boundaries between what we can accept as ‘normal’ clinical care and that which requires discussion with, and consent from parents, is becoming more difficult.

Parents naturally want to be aware of everything happening to their child but prolonged discussions around every small aspect of care is impossible in a busy clinical service.

At the same time, just giving the parents clinical facts without putting them into context can cause alarm, distress and misunderstanding. Improving communication with parents is an important part of the development of neonatal care.

The BabyLink Project has focused on learning about the kind of information, which would help parents feel more involved in their baby's care and how we can present this information to you. Many parents have helped us by talking openly and honestly about their experiences on the neonatal unit. Although every person we spoke to had a very individual idea of what information they found most helpful, parents generally agreed that they were less anxious when they felt all information regarding their baby's care was shared with them.