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Updated: Oct 6, 2025
19:15
Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
86.6K
Words matter: exploring communication between parents and neonatologists.
Roger Winters1, Claire M Hennigan2,3, Richard Tucker4
1Brown Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, USA. roger_winters@brown.edu.
Summary
Neonatologists and NICU parents have different views on communication, particularly regarding procedure invasiveness. However, both groups agree on the importance of connection, shared decision-making, and hope in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Medical Communication
- Healthcare Disparities
Background:
- Effective communication is crucial in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
- Perceptions of communication can vary significantly between healthcare providers and families.
- Understanding these differences is key to improving patient-centered care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate and compare the perceptions of neonatologists and parents regarding communication within the NICU setting.
- To identify areas of agreement and disagreement in communication experiences.
Main Methods:
- A mixed-methods study combining online surveys and focus groups.
- Involved 72 survey participants and 19 focus group participants (13 parents, 6 neonatologists).
- Utilized videos of simulated NICU conversations for discussion.
Main Results:
- Parents and neonatologists differed in ranking the invasiveness of NICU procedures.
- Both groups similarly assessed the quality of simulated conversations.
- Key themes included building connection, shared decision-making, avoiding assumptions due to language differences, and conveying hope.
Conclusions:
- While neonatologists and parents share some common ground in NICU communication, significant differences in perception exist.
- Addressing divergent language use and assumptions is vital.
- Focusing on connection and hope can enhance NICU communication.
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