Study Shows Improvement in Family-Centered Care Practices in NICUs Following Educational Intervention

The study aimed to evaluate the association between the Close Collaboration With Parents intervention and FCC practices, as well as how implementation fidelity might modify these outcomes. Conducted across six NICUs in Estonia, the intervention involved an educational program for multiprofessional NICU staff, combining e-learning, bedside practices, and reflection sessions to enhance FCC culture by improving staff skills in communication, collaboration with parents, and parenting support.

FCC quality was assessed using a questionnaire for parents and daily questions for staff, with the study analyzing the association between implementation fidelity—defined as the proportion of staff completing the full education—and FCC quality. Results showed a significant increase in FCC ratings by both parents and staff post-intervention, with higher fidelity NICUs demonstrating greater improvement in FCC ratings by staff.

The study included responses from parents of 186 infants pre-intervention and 208 infants post-intervention, with staff providing 7448 and 6717 daily responses in the respective periods. Despite the overall increase in ratings, median ratings remained unchanged for both parents and staff. Implementation fidelity varied significantly across NICUs, ranging from 13.3% to 82.2%, with higher fidelity associated with greater improvements in FCC ratings.

In conclusion, the Close Collaboration With Parents intervention was associated with improved FCC practices in NICUs, highlighting the importance of implementation fidelity in achieving better outcomes for family-centered care.