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Clinical Practice Protocol of Creative Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
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Research on developmental care: helping both preemies and parents

Raymond J Bingham

    Nursing for Women'S Health
    |August 21, 2012
    PubMed

    Insights

    Developmental care for premature infants, while beneficial, lacks a standard definition. The Creating Opportunities for Parent Empowerment (COPE) program helps parents of premature infants manage anxiety and improve infant outcomes.

    Area of Science:

    • Neonatal care
    • Developmental psychology
    • Parental support

    Background:

    • Developmental care for premature infants, pioneered by Dr. Heidi Als, is an established standard.
    • Existing research indicates benefits for neonatal outcomes, yet lacks a standardized definition and consistent practice across units.
    • Variability in developmental care practices necessitates further investigation into effective interventions.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To evaluate the impact of the Creating Opportunities for Parent Empowerment (COPE) program on parental anxiety and infant outcomes.
    • To provide parents of premature infants with education on infant appearance, behavior, and developmentally appropriate parenting skills.
    • To address the need for standardized, evidence-based support for families of premature infants.

    Main Methods:

    • Dr. Bernadette Melnyk developed the Creating Opportunities for Parent Empowerment (COPE) program.
    • The program focuses on educating parents about the typical characteristics and behaviors of premature infants.
    • It also equips parents with essential developmentally appropriate parenting skills.

    Main Results:

    • The COPE program has demonstrated success in reducing parental anxiety and stress levels.
    • Implementation of the COPE program has contributed to improved outcomes for premature infants.
    • Parental empowerment through education correlates with positive neonatal development.

    Conclusions:

    • The Creating Opportunities for Parent Empowerment (COPE) program is an effective intervention for parents of premature infants.
    • Standardized programs like COPE can mitigate parental stress and enhance neonatal care.
    • Further research should explore wider implementation and long-term effects of such empowerment programs.

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