The March of Dimes is helping to alleviate the emotional distress and confusion so common to families whose baby is born early or with another medical condition. Built upon a family-centered philosophy and incorporating NICU families into every level of the project, NICU Family Supportsm is being rolled out through March of Dimes chapters nationwide. The service will be offered in more than 50 NICUs by 2007.
Serving the mothers, fathers, siblings, grandparents and extended family of newborns admitted to the NICU, NICU Family Support addresses the needs of families throughout the hospitalization, during the transition home, and in the event of a newborn death. At a national level, NICU Family Support provides information and resources to families through this Web site.
The March of Dimes is aware that NICUs have many meaningful support programs for families already in place and that patient demographics differ from one NICU to another. For this reason, NICU Family Support does not use a standardized model and instead is customized based on the family and staff needs of the specific NICU in which the project is unfolding. We aim to complement what already exists in a NICU, based on a comprehensive NICU needs assessment and the collaborative efforts of the March of Dimes, graduate NICU families and hospital staff.
Program Components
Led by a March of Dimes staff person, who has professional NICU experience and works directly on-site in the NICU that the project serves, NICU Family Support integrates multiple sources of support into its programs. Parent-to-parent support, sensitive and engaging educational materials, and services that address the challenges that NICU families may face are components common in the following program offerings:
- Antepartum/High-risk women
- Sibling education and support
- The Photo Keepsake Program
- Rural family support
- Hispanic family support
- Transition to home
- Newborn loss and grief
In addition, the March of Dimes uses its existing perinatal nursing education program to offer continuing education for NICU nursing staff on topics related to caring for the critically ill newborn.
The Parent Care Kit
Among the many compelling materials and products available through NICU Family Support is the March of Dimes Parent Care Kit, a gift of booklets and videos that introduces parents to the staff, equipment, procedures and conditions they may encounter while their baby is in the NICU. Most importantly, the materials encourage parental participation and involvement as primary caregivers of their infant.
A unique piece in the Parent Care Kit is a baby book that is modified for the NICU experience, allowing parents to record both the difficult and celebratory moments with their baby. This baby book, as well as a video that guides parents through the experience of a premature infant’s hospitalization, are available to the public from the March of Dimes. For more information, visit our product catalog.
Funding for NICU Family Support
The March of Dimes continues to seek national sponsorship for NICU Family Support and currently receives generous support from Pediatrix Medical Group, MedImmune, Inc., and Dey, L.P. To learn more, contact your local March of Dimes chapter.
