Can family members be teammates in the NICU?: an observational investigation of family-centered teamwork in the neonatal intensive care unit

Abstract

ABSTRACT Family-centered care is vital in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), where family involvement is linked with improved patient outcomes. However, collaborating with patient families presents unique challenges for medical teams. The purpose of this research is to identify behaviors NICU teams use to promote family-centered teamwork. This study used qualitative data from observations of 320 patient rounding events. Results were analyzed using content analysis. Observed behaviors were categorized into five themes, which captured medical team members’ efforts to include patient families in teamwork: inviting families to participate in teamwork, developing a shared mental model of goals and plans, empowering family caregiving in the hospital and preparing family for discharge, coordinating communication between family and medical team, and developing positive relationships with patient families. The findings from this study emphasize that providers can include patient families in the NICU team, despite challenges associated with doing so.