Navigating between technological and relational practice in neonatal care

As innovations in neonatal practice require clinicians to engage with increasingly technological medicine, staff must also prioritise family-integrated and relationship-centred care. These two modes of practice can compete for clinicians’ psychological resources. In this article I explore the implications of this dilemma and identify some ideas that might be useful in navigating the intersection of technological and relational practice.

Davy Evans
Clinical Psychologist Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
davy.evans@nhs.net

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Keywords

medical technology; neonatal; family-integrated care; relationships; clinical psychology

Key points

Recent innovations in care present neonatal clinicians with a dilemma between technological and relational practice.
These modes of practice can compete for clinicians’ psychological resources, impacting on quality and safety of care.
Finding ways to reconcile and navigate these domains is important for protecting babies, families and healthcare professionals.
Clinical psychologists are well placed to facilitate the proposed solutions.

Also published in Infant:

VOLUME 17/ISSUE 6, NOVEMBER 2021

Stuck inside a hall of mirrors: facets of mum guilt on the SCBU

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