Emotional Support of NICU Parents
Upon completion of this course, the participant will be able to:
Identify three reasons why parents in the NICU need emotional support.
Describe two roles of mental health professionals in the NICU including the concept of "layered levels" of support.
Recognize one major feature of each of the various mood and anxiety disorders that can occur in the perinatal and postpartum period.
Describe two recommendations for screening parents for emotional distress.
Identify three Potentially Better Practices as to how NICU mental health professionals can provide emotional support in the NICU.
Identify three reasons why parents in the NICU need emotional support.
- What is the range of emotions NICU parents may experience?
- Which emotions are "normal" and which are "abnormal" in response to a NICU hospitalization?
- How might these emotions impact parents' behavior?
Describe two roles of mental health professionals in the NICU including the concept of "layered levels" of support.
- Which families should get the "universal" level of support, and what does it consist of?
- Who should get "targeted" support, and who should provide it?
- Who might need "clinical" levels of support, and who should provide it?
- How do the roles of social workers and psychologists interface in the NICU?
Recognize one major feature of each of the various mood and anxiety disorders that can occur in the perinatal and postpartum period.
- What are the emotional and physical symptoms of the various perinatal mood and anxiety disorders?
- What are situational risks?
- How can a person's situational risks be lessened?
Describe two recommendations for screening parents for emotional distress.
- When should parents be screened?
- Which parents should be screened?
- What are some screening methods/tools?
Identify three Potentially Better Practices as to how NICU mental health professionals can provide emotional support in the NICU.
- What kind of support should all NICU families receive?
- What services should social workers and psychologists provide?
- How can parent education groups be useful?
- How can telemedicine be used in the NICU?
*Completing this course will provide the participant with 1 CEU or 1 CME based on licensure
