Parental Uncertainty in the Time of COVID-19

The NICU can be a scary place for any parent, and the COVID-19 pandemic is bringing new levels of uncertainty when it comes to having an infant in the NICU. Research is recognizing that the fear, stress, and anxiety parents carry throughout their child’s stay in the NICU can manifest itself into post-traumatic stress. Jill is joined by Dr. Katie Malin, a neonatal nurse practitioner at Children’s Wisconsin who has focused her research on perinatal post-traumatic stress disorder and its relationship to uncertainty. Jill and Katie discuss how nurses can help identify and support parents experiencing uncertainty surrounding their ill infant, with the hope of creating better family outcomes.