דף מידע להורים – הורה להורה באנגלית

Parent for Parent

(A project in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU

Hadassah University Hospital, Ein Kerem

Parent for Parent - A project in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Hadassah University Hospital, Ein Kerem

Parent for Parent is a project made up of volunteers whose children were previously hospitalized in the NICU in Hadassah and who are available to meet with parents whose infants are currently hospitalized in the NICU (Pagia). The purpose of this project is to provide support in addition to the NICU staff to parents whose infants are in the NICU. The aim is to let current parents to hospitalized babies know that they are not alone, and that others have had similar experiences and can now use this experience to be helpful.

Coordination of volunteers and current parents is made by the NICU staff, while taking into account the infant’s condition, language spoken by the parents and similar medical histories.

How did this project begin

Parent for Parent was inspired by the Visiting Moms Program of Jewish Family and Child Services of Boston, Massachusetts. According to professional reports, parents who were able to share their experiences with veterans of the NICU benefited .They had the opportunity to express the concerns they were feeling, they were better prepared for the challenges of NICU and for discharge from the hospital.

How does it work

NICU staff has prepared parents who had children hospitalized in the NICU (mentors). The NICU social worker will ask you if you are interested in meeting with one of the project's volunteers. The first meeting coordinated by the NICU staff will take place in or near the NICU, future meetings will be arranged by the mentor and the parents. The current parents will choose the topics they wish to discuss during these meetings. Mentors, are part of the Hadassah volunteers program, they consult with the professional NICU staff. Each meeting will be followed up by the professional staff. It is your decision to continue or stop these meetings.

If you are interested in meeting with one of our volunteers please call 02-6779320.

Respectfully,

Prof. Smadar Even Tov Friedman, Project Coordinator

Olga Gorodetsky, Head Nurse Michal Mizrachi, NICU Nurse

Merav Eitan, Social Worker Goldie Marans, Assistant Coordinator