Training of the staff of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of MITERA Hospital in Developmental Care Focusing on the Infant and the Family.

MITERA Hospital is a pioneer in training the staff of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in developmental care with a focus on the infant and the family, making the NICU the first in Greece to implement the NeuBriC program.

Infant and Family-Centered Developmental Care is a descriptive term for a framework of neonatal care that incorporates theories and concepts of neurodevelopment, neurobehavior, parent-infant interaction, parental involvement, breastfeeding promotion, environmental adaptation, and hospital systems change, as well as an innovative approach that reduces mental and emotional trauma for families.

NeuBriC is a multidisciplinary NICU staff training program based on trauma-informed care, developed in collaboration with the European Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants (EFCNI) and in accordance with the European Standards of Care for Newborn Health (ESCNH). The program covers the full range of family-centered neurodevelopmental care for premature infants during their hospital stay and the first six months of life.

After the end of the training, the director of the NeuBriC project, neonatologist-pediatric physiotherapist NDT, NIDCAP professional Mrs. Pani Pantelidi, and the scientific coordinator Mrs. Eleni Vavouraki, member of the ESCNH Central Committee and member of the EFCNI Parents Advisory Committee, emphasized: “All NICU staff participated with dedication and tireless enthusiasm, showing their commitment to improving the care of newborns and their families”.

The Directors of the NICU at MITERA, Ms. Stamatina Leontiadis and Mr. Georgios Mavrogeorgos said: “Family-centered neurodevelopmental care of the newborn is a one-way street in a modern neonatal intensive care unit, such as the NICU of MITERA Hospital, which has been a pioneer for 44 years. Prematurity is associated with trauma and subsequent challenges after discharge from the NICU. This new model of care helps reduce parental stress and empowers their role as parents, resulting in better neurodevelopmental outcomes for infants.”

Finally, the NICU supervisors Mrs. Grigoria Bakola & Mrs. Georgia Mysirlaki noted: “The staff of the NICU is excited about this training experience, which aims to provide holistic care for the infant and the family, with the ultimate goal of reducing parental trauma and optimal neonatal development.”