Peer-to-peer support in the neonatal intensive care unit may improve parents experiences with their hospitalised infant

Commentary on: Dahan S, Bourque CJ, Reichherzer M, Prince J, Mantha G, Savaria M, Janvier A. Community, hope, and resilience: parental perspectives on peer support in neonatology. J Pediatr 2022;243:85–90.e2. Implications for practice and research Having an infant in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is frequently associated with negative impact on parents’ feelings and emotions. Peer-to-peer support may positively influence parents in the NICU. Further investigation is required in relation to the impact of peer-to-peer support parents on clinical care and health outcomes in the NICU, for both infants and families. Context Over the past few decades, advances in technology have enabled the survival of sicker and smaller infants; however, neonatal care became more medicalised, being provided in a specialised environment, the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), while dramatically restricting the engagement of parents in caring for their infant.1
Source: Evidence-Based Nursing - Category: Nursing Authors: Tags: Child health Commentary Source Type: research