Neonatal Education for Parents & Families
The needs of a family whose tiniest member has been admitted to our NICU are unique. The moments of fear, helplessness, worry and joy are common along this journey. It is our mission to assist you, the family, along each step of this journey and to prepare you for your return home. With this goal in mind, we offer the following beliefs as the foundation of our care:
- We practice Family-Centered Care, which recognizes the parent(s) as the constant in the infant's life, and we encourage you to be actively parenting your baby in the hospital.
- We believe that the most important part of the long-term outcome of an infant is the parent-infant relationship.
- We believe the parent(s) do not "visit" their babies in the nursery; rather, they provide care and parenting.
- We believe that a partnership exists between families and the health care team, a partnership that recognizes the expertise of each.
- We recognize that a family is a culture unto itself with different values and beliefs that we respect and support.
- We are committed to provide expert health services that are flexible, culturally sensitive, and responsive to the family-identified needs.
- We believe communication, collaboration, respect, and participation are key in establishing a trusting partnership with the family and health care professionals to form one Team.
- We believe that the goal of the nursery is to bring the infant back within the family's embrace by developing and nurturing the family's role as the primary caregiver.
The special needs of the sick and premature newborn are met by many groups of individuals. While the family may have primary contact with the nurses and physicians of Neonatal Services, other departments are involved in this care as well. If you would like more information regarding these services, follow the links provided:
Oklahoma Infant Transition Program: http://www.oitp.ouhsc.edu/
Pastoral Care
Understanding that no one expects to have a critically ill infant, Neonatal Services has developed educational information for parents to better understand the special needs of their sick child. Topics on which you can find more information are:
- Being with Baby
- About the Nursery
- Taking Care of You
- Baby's Development
- Baby's Nutrition
- Discharge Planning

