How do parents really feel about not to be present during ward rounds in neonatal units?
• Aung Soe • Mei Wong, Carla Lavarack, Georgie Siggers, Hla M Nwe and Jackie Matthews Neonatal unit, Medway Maritime Hospital, Gillingham, U.K, ME7 5NY Dear Editor, We are writing in response to the paper by Bramwell et al[1]. Our level 3 neonatal unit, in contrast to the Liverpool unit, does not have an open door policy and parents are not allowed in the clinical area during ward rounds which take place between 8.30am to 10.30am and 4.00pm to 5.30pm. The times of ward rounds are printed in unit parental information booklet and it is explained that the reason for not allowing parents to be present during the ward rounds is to protect the privacy and maintain the confidentiality of all babies and their parents. There are no other restrictions on parental visiting. We have audited parental attitudes and understanding to the care of their babies 3 times since June 2001 by using a questionnaire with multiple choice questions. The sections included in the questionnaire are discussion before
