title: [Role of the nurse and midwife in educating parents of neonates treated at intensive care units].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Health education is an important element in the therapeutic process of every patient. If the patient is a neonate at an intensive care unit (ICU), the parents or legal guardians become the object of education. Knowledge and skills learned by parents at neonatal ICUs are later reflected in the quality of their childcare. The nursing and midwifery staff at ICUs plays an important role in the process of parental education. The aim of this study was to define educational needs of parents of neonates in intensive care and the impact of education on future parental childcare skills.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used the diagnostic poll method and the research tool was a questionnaire, which was addressed to parents of neonates treated at the neonatal intensive care unit of the Second University Hospital and the SPSZOZ Zdroje Hospital in Szczecin. The study was carried out in December-January of 2004/2005 and the group comprised 53 persons. The results were subjected to mathematical analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The following conclusions were drawn: (1) As all the parents wished to stay with their children at the neonatal ICU, special facilities for this purpose should be created at hospitals possessing such units. (2) Parents of neonates weighing more than 1000 g reported that their need to help their children was satisfied through participation in diagnostic, therapeutic, and nursing activities, which also gave them a sense of proximity with their offspring. extremely low birthweight to participate in the therapeutic process. (3) Parents expected to be taught by nurses and midwives and were interested in the activities of support groups. (4) Participation by parents in nursing activities is of importance for their unassisted childcare exercised later at home.
authors.affiliation: Katedra i Zakład Pielegniarstwa Połoiniczo-Ginekologicznego Pomorskiej Akademii Medycznej w Szczecinie ul. Zołnierska 48, 71-210 Szczecin.
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fryc
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rudnicki
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cwiek
mesh_terms: D004493:Education / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007224:Infant Care / Q000379:methods*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008880:Midwifery; D024802:Nurse's Role; D011044:Poland; D012386:Rooming-in Care / Q000458:organization & administration