Support Like a Walking Stick: Parent-Buddy Matching for Language and Culture in the NICU

Abstract

Study mothers experienced intense role disequilibrium during the unanticipated crisis of preterm birth of a VLBW infant; situational crises owing to the high-tech NI CU environment and their infant's condition; and developmental crises with feelings of loss, guilt, helplessness, and anxiety. Language barriers compounded the difficulties. Parent-buddies helped non-English-speaking mothers mobilize their strengths. Culture and language are important determinants of service satisfaction for non-English-speaking mothers. Linguistically congruent parent-to-parent matching increases access to service.

Immigrant women's experience of maternity services in Canada: A meta-ethnography

“…Support from nurses was thought most important for some women (Ahmed et al, 2008;Grewal et al, 2008;Morrow et al, 2008;Wiebe and Young, 2011), whereas others described physicians as most important during the antenatal period (Grewal et al, 2008). It was found that culturally accessible social support both from health care services and women's social networks, such as families and communities, is important to immigrant women in order for them to cope with the experiences encountered during the maternity period (Kulig, 1990;Dyck, 1993;Dhari et al, 1997;Hyman and Dussault, 2000;Groleau, 2005;Ahmed et al, 2008;Grewal et al, 2008;Kulig et al, 2008;Reitmanova and Gustafson, 2008;Ardal et al, 2011;Wiebe and Young, 2011).…”

“…Immigrant women also reported that even when they called for assistance and requested medication, nurses passed by without attending to their requests (Spitzer, 2004;Reitmanova and Gustafson, 2008). Some women expressed that it was not only important to share a common language with health care staff, but also to share a culture fostered on understanding of the cultural context (Bodo and Gibson, 1999;Sutton et al, 2007;Ardal et al, 2011). Practical issues reflecting socio-economic barriers to accessing maternity health care included transportation difficulties due to financial problems, lack of employment, living in temporary accommodation without a phone or mailing address and distance between homes and appointment locations (Dyck, 1993;Hyman and Dussault, 2000;Groleau et al, 2006;Sutton et al, 2007;Teng et al, 2007;Ahmed et al, 2008;Grewal et al, 2008;Reitmanova and Gustafson, 2008;Janssen et al, 2009;Gagnon et al, 2010;Merry et al, 2011).…”

“…Conversely, several studies reported that the highly complex, technological spatial and procedural restriction within the health care system seemed to lead to alienation of participants with respect to their involvement in maternity health care (Teng et al, 2007;Grewal et al, 2008;Ardal et al, 2011;Wiebe and Young, 2011). Participants reported perceiving that referrals from health care staff were inadequate (Janssen et al, 2009;Gagnon et al, 2010) and as a result some of women preferred to make the referral themselves (Gagnon et al, 2010).…”

Parent's support group as a transforming experience for families at a neonatal unit

“…The disease or clinical complications of the newborn that arises then, cause much suffering 4,6,7,15 , requiring radical and inevitable changes in the family routine 6,16,17 . A goal to be considered by the health team in the treatment of hospitalized infants is to reduce the anxiety of parents by offering support, answering questions, helping them to express their feelings 17 .…”

“…Moreover it allows professionals to know the story of parents and their thoughts and feelings about reactions to the hospitalization of the newborns 4,5 . Studies 12,16,17 show that during the hospitalization of infants, parents have the need to be close to their newborn children; receive timely and adequate information on their health conditions and receive support. The clarification is very important to the patient and family, since it allows the organization of their emotional life and the mobilization of internal resources to cope with the situation 17 .…”