Integrated family delivered care: Development of a staff education programme

Neonatal staff education is critical to the successful implementation of Family Integrated Care (FIC) to support the shift in the focus of care giving for the baby to working with parents as part of the unit of care, treating them as equal and active members of the team in the care of the baby. Education should include an understanding of the parent experience to enable sensitive and effective communication required for partnership working. Effective staff education supports an understanding of the differences of FIC, what is required of staff, provides an opportunity to address hopes and fears and makes sure staff are up to date and confident in their clinical knowledge and skills to up-skill parents. Opportunities to educate staff can be hard to find with the challenges of staffing and acuity on a neonatal intensive care unit, this requires adaptability and innovative ideas to be successful.