Culturally-Informed Family Education in the Infant Population

Abstract

Working with infants and families can be as challenging as it can be rewarding for healthcare professionals, particularly when working with families of diverse cultures. Many cultures perform various parenting practices which are viewed in the western world as odd or even dangerous. Addressing these practices is difficult and creates a barrier to providing equitable, family-centered care. The purpose of this capstone project was to provide education to healthcare practitioners working with high-risk infants in the NICU and outpatient settings. Interviews were administered with NICU and outpatient staff to gain understanding of staff perceptions of family-centered care. A pre-survey was distributed to NICU nursing and therapy staff, outpatient pediatricians, and outpatient therapists to gain baseline knowledge of staff awareness and understanding of cultural parenting practices. An educational PowerPoint was provided to staff along with a post-survey and quiz to measure success of the education. Staff demonstrated increased knowledge and confidence in providing culturally-informed education to families regarding these practices. This project emphasized the importance of ongoing cultural education for healthcare providers working with the infant population.