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How doctors communicated with parents in a neonatal intensive care: Communication and ethical issues

Gaelle Sorin1,2, Lionel Dany3,4, Renaud Vialet2

  • 1Hospital La Timone, Aix-Marseille University/EFS/CNRS, UMR 7268 ADÉS, Espace Éthique Méditerranéen, Marseille, France.

Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
|May 5, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Doctors in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) use five key communication strategies when discussing infant care with parents. Understanding these strategies can improve doctor-parent communication and ethical care delivery.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Communication
  • Neonatal Intensive Care
  • Pediatric Healthcare

Background:

  • Effective communication is a moral and legal obligation for doctors.
  • Informed parents are integral to patient care, especially in critical settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore doctor communication strategies with parents in a French neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
  • To identify themes in doctor-parent discussions regarding infant care.

Main Methods:

  • Qualitative pilot study involving five doctors in a single NICU.
  • Audiotaped discussions between doctors and parents of infants in the NICU.
  • Thematic content analysis of 40 discussions.

Main Results:

  • Five communication strategy themes were identified.
  • Themes included building understanding, communication structure, and the roles of doctors and parents.
  • Information delivery evolved over time during NICU stay.

Conclusions:

  • Analysis revealed communication and ethical issues in NICU information delivery.
  • Findings can inform and improve future doctor-parent discussions.
  • Enhanced communication supports better care for newborn infants.
Abstract

Keywords:
audio recordingcontent analysisdecision-makingmedical informationneonatal intensive care unit

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