Family-centered care in the NICU.

Family-centered care is a philosophy of care that embraces a partnership between staff and families. Families, patients, and staff benefit in a family-centered care environment and the design of the newborn intensive care unit (NICU) must not interfere with its successful implementation. Unrestricted parental presence in the NICU, parental involvement in infant caregiving, and open communication with parents are basic tenets of family-centered care. By virtue of their continual presence and role in the NICU, nurses are in a unique position to support family-centered care.