[Parent support activities in neonatal intensive care units: a national survey in Israel]

Parents of infants in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) suffer extended periods of stress. The staffs of these departments have a major role in assisting them through this period.

To describe services, programs and facilities to support parents of these infants, during and following hospitalization.

Social workers of 23 NICU's completed a structured questionnaire, and the responses were summarized.

The majority of units have paramedical staff in addition to social workers. Twenty-two units offer structured instruction for parents, and 12 offer lecture series. Topics include: coping with the birth of a premature infant, the infant's development and care, breastfeeding, discharge preparation, etc. In 19 departments grandparents are allowed to visit and nine also allow siblings. Most departments have breast-pump facilities and a lounge for parents; some also have refrigerators, personal lockers, etc.. Twenty units employ the "Kangaroo" method of skin-to-skin contact, and three practice elements of "individualized developmental care". Communication with parents is conducted both formally and informally. All departments have guidelines for contact with community health providers - some regularly, and some as-needed.

Despite the multiplicity of programs reported in the survey, many are conducted in only a few departments. It is recommended that national guidelines be developed, which would integrate many existing activities, taking into account the needs of parents and families, medical and paramedical staff, as well as economic constraints. Clear policy guidelines and standards are necessary for this aspect of care, as they are for the medical aspects.