Bmc Pediatr
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Parents of infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) find themselves in a situation of emotional strain. Communication in the NICU presents special challenges due to parental stress and the complexity of the highly technologized environment. Parents' need for communication may not always be met by the NICU staff. This study aimed to describe strengths and weaknesses of parent-nurse and parent-doctor communication in a large level III NICU in Sweden in order to improve our understanding of parents' communication needs. ⋯ Training both doctors and nurses in communication skills, especially in how to meet parents' emotional needs better, could make communication at the NICU more effective and improve parental well-being. Creating a framework for the parents of what to expect from NICU communication might also be helpful. In addition, our results support the use of primary nurse teams to improve continuity of care and thereby promote successful communication.