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Project details

Start date: 06-02-2023
Status: Afgerond
Duration: 5 maanden
Country: Nederland
Coordinator: Melissa Claerhoudt
Partner organisation: Bravis Moeder & Kindcentrum

PAR Report

Aftercare/Processing for Parents of Neonatology

Globally, one in ten babies is born prematurely (Nederlands Centrum Jeugdgezondheid, 2022). Premature, small, or sick babies are often hospitalized for a longer period in the neonatology department. Parents often spend a longer, intense period in the hospital as a result. A rollercoaster of fear, stress, and various emotions. When they leave the hospital after this period, the information provision and intensive support from the hospital come to an end. A period during which they often only realize what has happened, but at the same time, the care for the child does not stop. In this Participatory Action Research, we look at how aftercare and/or processing for parents who have experienced a complex birth story can best take place.

Situation

The Mother and Child Center (MCC) calls parents one week after leaving the neonatology department to ask how they are doing. From that moment on, parents and children only have outpatient appointments with the pediatrician. The hospital notices that parents often seek contact again after a few weeks/months or even after 1 year. Parents do this to thank caregivers and reflect on their time in the hospital. For this reason, the MCC believes that there is a need to do more with aftercare and processing for parents. One of the ideas is to organize a post-care meeting for parents. Additionally, in the current situation, there is often only ongoing contact with parents when a complaint is filed/something is not going well. This, in turn, affects the happiness of the employees. Finally, various studies and experts indicate how important it is to ensure good processing for parents. For example, Veer-Krachtige Ouders states, “Prevention-(after)care is important, especially for parents who have not experienced a pink cloud.”
“Parents need and benefit from support regarding the aftercare of their premature or SGA-born child” (Federatie Medisch Specialisten, 2013)
Enough reason to address this issue!

PAR Design

PAR-goal

To co-create and realize an action plan with stakeholders to ensure good processing/aftercare for parents whose child has been in the neonatology department of the Bravis hospital (MCC) for more than 1 week.

Outcome

Together with all stakeholders, a broad, critical, and multi-perspective approach was taken to the theme ‘aftercare/processing for parents with a child in neonatology’. From this broad, open perspective, new insights emerged. The following 8 themes were ultimately identified and were central to the research and creation of action points:

1) follow-up day/aftercare office, 2) lack of uniformity, 3) range of care, 4) preparation, 5) handover, 6) MCC and partner…?, 7) psychological support, 8) imbalance in coping capacity vs. burden.

Various ideas and solutions have emerged within these themes, and currently, we are assessing which of these ideas will be implemented. The fact that stakeholders were able to listen to each other’s experiences and opinions with goosebumps and that this information has truly sunk in, instills confidence that all stakeholders will continue in their own way with the 8 themes.

Melissa Claerhoudt – LinkedIn

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