1. Introduction
This presentation is being provided for staff who may be starting a veteran parent program to support FICare
The narrative on the slide notes is a guide to help you understand the content of the slides

2. Supporting Veteran Parents in committees2

3. Veteran parent involvement
Educate Clinicians
Parental experience & perspective
Sit on hospital committees
to provide valuable input and recommendations from the family perspective
Research
For nursing education:
Provide snap shot of a parent NICU experience, what works, what could work better
Environmental support:
Unit policies, space

4. Supporting veteran parents through readiness: role of leadership
Readiness of your unit
Engage leadership
Engage and assign unit “Champions”
Ask questions to assess climate
Follow hospital guidelines
Promote the benefits of the role for staff and parents internally
Provide a formal structure
Do not Assume your unit is ready
Readiness: Is your unit ready to include Veteran Parents?

5. Key parent engagement strategies
Provide a formal structure
-steering committee and workgroups that are active, responsive & integrated
-parent lead in each group
Build positive relationships
-staff and parents
Provide a choice of feedback mechanisms
Provide some financial compensation
-i.e. stipend or parking reimbursement

6. Support veteran parents as advisors on committees
Include more than one parent on committee if possible
Designate a staff liaison
Provide materials in advance
Actively look for opportunities to engage
Alert them of cancellations and meeting room changes
Be transparent & close the loop

7. Supporting veteran parents as faculty
Work with veteran parents on presentations; provide feedback before and after
Present with veteran parents
Attend presentations and talks
Encourage other staff to attend presentations and talks
Be aware of the time commitment involved
Be aware of snowball effect and over-extending parents
Be aware of readiness, triggers, reliving experiences

8. Supporting veteran parents with remote initiatives
Give feedback via and telephone
Track off site hours
Give recognition and encouragement
Provide periodic check-ins
Honor the work by using it
Share the final result; how it impacted families and staff
Need to feel valued

9. Supporting veteran parents through attending events
Important for staff to attend events that you are involved, talks, celebrations to support veteran parents, gives momentum , builds the team , creates a bridge

10. Supporting veteran parents: Top requests from veteran parents everywhere
Please be respectful of my time
Please don’t ask me to do ward clerk duties
Please tell me ahead of time if a meeting has been cancelled
Please understand “coming back” is a huge emotional risk for me
Please invite me in at the very beginning to translate the idea into practice
Please create a specific role for me in the process
Please let me use my professional skills and strengths to help you
Please give me a formal structure to follow
Please provide me with one “go to” staff member for support & feedback
Please be flexible in case my situation changes at home
Please listen to my new ideas and help me overcome the obstacles
Please pay for my parking (and expenses when possible)
Please remember my name

11. “Implementing Family Integrated Care in the NICU: educating nurses”
“Implementing Family Integrated Care in the NICU: A Parent Education and Support Program”
2013 • Vol. 13, (2)
“Implementing Family-Integrated Care in the NICU: Engaging Veteran Parents in Program Design and Delivery”
2013 • Vol. 13, (4)
“Implementing Family Integrated Care in the NICU: educating nurses”
2013 • Vol.13, (6)
papers