“From Uncertainty to empowerment”: a quality improvement initiative to strengthen family-centered neonatal care at Th -Badulla Nicu using the empathic-n framework

Abstract

Admission of newborns to the NICU can be an emotionally distressing experience for families, particularly for mothers of preterm or low birth weight infants. Structured parental education, daily communication, and promotion of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) have been shown to reduce parental anxiety, foster bonding, and improve care outcomes. This Quality Improvement (QI) project, conducted at Teaching Hospital Badulla, aimed to enhance parental satisfaction and involvement through a structured education and communication model guided by the EMPATHIC-N framework