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Family-oriented Care
Supporting Families With Premature Babies
By Teri Brown
Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland, Ore., is one such hospital. Joanne Rogovoy, state director of program services at Doernbecher, believes that the hospitalization of a baby in a NICU can be one of the most frightening, confusing and overwhelming experiences a parent can face. While support cannot take away the pain and fear parents of premature babies feel, it can give parents the necessary information needed to make it through this trying time.
"Having a baby in the NICU is stressful for the entire family, including big bothers and sisters," says Rogovoy. "A toddler may be upset at being separated from his parents because of the new baby that is sick, while older children may worry about their new baby."
Rogovoy believes that by offering a multi-faceted approach, families with babies in the NICU can better do what they need to do in the first place – concentrate on their child. "Family-centered care is an approach to healthcare that ensures that patients and their families collaborate with healthcare providers in both care and decision making," says Rogovoy. "In pediatrics, family-centered care views the family as the child's primary source of strength and support. It requires that health care providers treat patients and families with dignity, respect and sensitivity and communicate in ways that are helpful and supportive."
Having a premature baby can be frightening, but the flip side is the love and devotion parents feel for those frail little babies whose every breath is precious to those who wait for them to be well enough to come home. With more support programs in place in hospitals across the country, parents everywhere can feel more in control of their tiny infant's health and well being.
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