Česky
"Neonatology in the Czech Republic clearly ranks among the world's top. In the past, all attention to premature babies focused primarily on ensuring all their vital functions and minimising health risks, including severe disabilities. Now we are in a situation where we can look ahead and find ways to take the care provided even further," says Milena Dokoupilová, MD, head of the neonatal department at Hořovice Hospital.
Premature birth and the birth of an immature child represent a completely unexpected life situation for parents, which is very difficult to cope with. "Extreme stress and emotional strain can be largely eliminated by sensitive and effective communication between the medical staff and the parents of these children. Of course, the role of the psychologist is absolutely crucial in a situation where the parents of a premature baby face extreme stress and uncertainty," says MUDr. Dokoupilová.
The Hořovice Neonatal Unit was granted the status of a Perinatology Intermediate Care Centre about two summers ago. Around the same time, the brand new Intensive Care Unit, which is designed for sick and immature newborns born from the 31st week of pregnancy, started its work. "You simply won't find a ward like this in the whole country," says the Hořovice headmistress, who personally supervised the construction of the new ward, with a certain amount of pride. Thanks to her innovative ideas and visual design, the Hořovice ward was nominated for the Interior of the Year competition in the Public Interior category last year.
International Prematurity Day is celebrated on 17 November and is an opportunity to highlight the need for a more effective system of training for doctors specialising in neonatology. The educational seminars "Strategies of communication with parents", which are organised under the professional auspices of the Czech Society of Neonatology of the Czech Medical Association and accredited by the Czech Medical Chamber as part of the lifelong postgraduate medical education, are helping to change the current situation. The series of these workshops for doctors and medical staff will be held under the guidance of psychologist doc. Laura Janáčková, CSc., who will introduce the participants to the basic ways of communication between a doctor and a parent with an emphasis on non-verbal communication.
The issue of premature babies and the difficult situation of their families will be highlighted on 17 November for the sixth time on the International Day of Premature Babies. The celebrations are organised by the Nedoklubko parents' association, which provides professional and lay counselling to families of premature babies in the Czech Republic. On Friday, 11 November, it is preparing a professional conference for doctors and nurses under the auspices of the Minister of Health and with the patronage of the once Oscar-winning director Jiří Menzel. "On the same day, we are also organising a large meeting of families of premature babies with doctors and nurses, which will culminate in a festive purple lantern procession to the purple-lit Powder Tower," says Nedoklubek director Lucie Žáčková. The celebrations will end with a gala evening with the presentation of the "Purple Heart" awards to the personalities of Czech neonatology in the Great Hall of Žofín Palace.
