Design to Empower & Reduce Uncertainty for Families on their Neonatal Journey
This project explores how to improve educational resources for parents navigating neonatal care in New Zealand through a human-centred design approach. Becoming a parent is already one of the biggest transitions a person can go through, and having a baby born prematurely or with health issues only adds additional stress. This research highlights the need for a tangible, family-centred educational resource that supports open communication amongst the care team whilst celebrating the milestones of neonates in Special Care Baby Units (SCBUs).
The final design outcome is a set of milestone magnets designed to be used on the whiteboards that most SCBU cot spaces already have, which are utilised by neonatal staff to communicate key information about a baby’s care. This tool aims to aid communication between whanau and healthcare providers. By celebrating milestones as they come, parents are empowered to take on the role of primary carer.
