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Words matter: exploring communication between parents and neonatologists

Journal of Perinatology volume 42, pages 745–751 (2022)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective

To evaluate how neonatologists and NICU parents perceive communication in the NICU.

Study Design

A mixed-methods approach using an online survey and three focus groups with NICU parents and neonatologists, utilizing videos of simulated conversations between a neonatologist and mother.

Results

A total of 72 participants responded to the online survey. Parents ranked the invasiveness of common NICU clinical procedures differently than the neonatologist standard but assessed the quality of the simulated conversation similarly. A total of 13 parents and 6 physicians participated in the focus groups. Major themes from both neonatologist and parent focus groups were the impact of making a connection with the parents, the importance of making decisions yet not making assumptions based on the divergent use of language by neonatologists and parents, and providing hope.

Conclusions

Parents and neonatologists differ in their perception of key aspects of NICU language use and communication but also agree on many aspects.

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Funding

Supported by Brown Summer Assistantship Funding.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Brown Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, USA

    Roger Winters, Claire M. Hennigan, Katheleen Hawes & Beatrice E. Lechner

  2. Women & Infants Hospital Department of Neonatology, Brown University, Providence, USA

    Richard Tucker, Katheleen Hawes & Beatrice E. Lechner

  3. Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Brown University, Providence, USA

    Claire M. Hennigan

  4. School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, USA

    Melissa A. Clark

Authors
  1. Roger Winters
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  2. Claire M. Hennigan
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  3. Richard Tucker
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  4. Melissa A. Clark
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  5. Katheleen Hawes
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  6. Beatrice E. Lechner
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Contributions

RW designed the qualitative study, conducted all focus groups, administered survey, wrote manuscript, and approved final manuscript. CH contributed to study, designed quantitative survey and approved final manuscript. RT conducted statistical analysis and approved final manuscript. KH edited manuscript, performed thematic analysis, and approved final manuscript. BEL substantially contributed to study design, data acquisition, data analysis, edited and approved the final manuscript as submitted.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Roger Winters or Beatrice E. Lechner.

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Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The study was conducted with the approval of the Women and Infants hospital Internal Review Board and was given exempt status. Informed consent was obtained from all participants in the study. The study was performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.

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Winters, R., Hennigan, C.M., Tucker, R. et al. Words matter: exploring communication between parents and neonatologists. J Perinatol 42, 745–751 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-021-01293-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-021-01293-2

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