Gallagher, K., Marlow, N., Edgley, A., & Porock, D. (2011).

The attitudes of
neonatal nurses towards extremely preterm infants. Journal of Advanced
Nursing, 68(8), 1768-1779. Doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648.2011.05865.x

This article stresses nurses are influencing decision-making for parents with very
ill preterm infants. This story also emphasizes that nurses exclude parents when it
comes to critical decisions about their infants well being. Nurses need to involve
these parents after all; they are the infants best providers. They know what the
baby needs, and for them to not be part in the decision making for their preterm
infant is inevitable. Nurses are accountable in which information they provide to
the parents because no matter what they do, the nurse does have a direct effect on
the parents decision. The nurse is reliable of the future of the infant. Nurses have
to leave their personal opinions out of the situation they are dealing with and past
experiences; they cannot give this infant the most adequate care because of their
own bias. The nurses do have the legal right to determine what is going to happen,
so they need to treat every case individually. Every moment counts in this infants
life and is counting on the nurse, so they have to do everything in their power to
make the best and right decision for the infant. That includes the parents opinion
too. These nurses do try to treat the preterm infants with the most adequate care to
their knowledge, but may be excluding the parent and taking the concerns upon
themselves. If the nurse was in neonatal care, she should look to every source
including the parent. If any conflict should take place, it needs to be resolved in the
best interest of the patient. Everyone needs to come together, support every aspect
that takes place, and stay focused. Collaboration is an important key to success.
Nurses need to stay committed for the well-being of this preterm infants future.
This story had many good points. There has to be a lot of interaction between
parents, physicians, and nurses to create the best care for the baby.