‘Little Journey’ app has launched at the L&D!
We are pleased to share that the ‘Little Journey’ app has been launched to support parents of infants being cared for within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the L&D!
Originally designed to help reassure children before they go to hospital for an operation, the app has since been specifically modified to meet the needs of parents and carers with babies at NICU. The app aims to help lessen anxiety for families visiting NICU, containing virtual tours of our unit, clinical information, research information, support links and relaxation games for anxious carers and siblings.
Claudia Chetcuti-Ganado, Consultant Neonatologist and Executive Coach at the Luton and Dunstable University Hospital played a key role in the design of this app.
Claudia worked with NICU parent focus groups to understand what could lessen the anxiety of having their baby go through a NICU journey. This inspired the Neonatal Journey of this app to support parents navigate the challenges from the first admission to beyond discharge yet empowering them with the information necessary to support partnership in their infant’s care.
Claudia Chetcuti-Ganado worked with colleagues from East of England Neonatal Operational Delivery Network. The team received funding from the Health Foundation Q Community to look at ways digital technologies could help parents with babies on the NICU.
Faye Tott, Family Integrated Care Co-ordinator at the Trust has been instrumental in engaging parents to help tailor the app content and will be championing it with the parents of babies coming through our neonatal unit.
We are certain the app will continue to enhance the quality of parent experience within our NICU.