In this section, we discuss the core elements that constitute FICare, which can be used to implement FICare in your unit.
The ultimate goal of FICare is to support parents in becoming engaged as part of their infants care team, becoming empowered, comfortable, and confident in caring for their baby in the NICU.
4 Pillars of FICare
We consider these components the ‘4 pillars of FICare’: Staff Education & Support, Parent Education, NICU Environment and Psychosocial Support. These 4 pillars create the scaffolding that supports the model of FICare. Underpinning the pillars is the engagement of veteran parents, at all the levels of program development.
- Providing education and tools for staff to enable them to educate, mentor and support parents in caring for their infant in the NICU
- Allowing staff to feel comfortable with the model of care and embrace their role as key facilitators of FICare
- Providing parents with the knowledge, skills, and confidence required to care for their infants in the NICU setting
- Enabling parents to be part of the health care team by offering small group education and the opportunity to participate in medical rounds, while being supported by individual bedside learning
- Ensuring that unit policies and procedures are supportive of the model
- Creating a physical and social environment that is conducive to the implementation of FICare
- Providing adequate psychosocial support for families to enable their participation in FICare
- Creating and supporting opportunities for peer-to-peer support
Access the FiCare Toolkit & Resources
for downloads, videos and links to support FiCare implementation