Uma rede de apoio à família do prematuro

Abstract

The present study refers to the trial of a project of total care to premature babies and their families since its implementation. The theoretical referential was Family-Centered Care, referred to by the Institute for Family-Center Care. The project includes hospital, clinic and home care, in the following steps: contact and support at birth; individual care at a weekly basis during hospitalization; meetings with groups of parents; training on how to look after a newborn baby for his or her discharge from the hospital; home visits before and after the aforementioned discharge; reference to the Family Care Unit and nursing consultations at a clinic. Since 2007, the project has 309 children and their families under follow-up. The experiences in the project have confirmed the need of a new look at the follow-up procedures of those babies and families under this conflicted situation. We believe, through our performance evidenced in the project, we can contribute for the reduction of morbimortality of those children and families by improving their quality of life.