A proposal: primary nursing for the mother-baby dyad

Nurses who work in a maternity setting must define their role in terms of the families for whom they care. Care of the childbearing family includes the social, cultural, and economic environment in which the new baby and his family are a part. The postpartum period is an ideal time for the primary nurse fo influence the care of the baby and family in a way that supports their unique family system. The nurse who utilizes this opportunity to care for the family can contribute positively to the start of a new member of society. The interactional system of the infant and family can be viewed as a mutually dependent dyad that is best supported by consistent and knowledgeable nursing care. It is no longer reasonable to deny such care to maternity clients. Family-centered care has been shown to be successful in a variety of hospital maternity settings, improving care for the mother-baby dyad and promoting cost-effective staffing. The process of proposing such a change is challenging. Obstacles to change can be overcome and, although painful, they often lead to clearer definition of the proposal. Nursing must provide the impetus to sound family-centered care. The alternatives are no longer acceptable to consumers, and fragmented nursing care is seldom satisfying to nurses. There is much to be gained by fulfilling the true sense of family-centered postpartum care.