The birth of a premature or critically ill infant creates a diverse and often intense range of emotions for parents. Beverley Benskin, RN, MA, NCC, LPC, CT, our nominee for the Excellence in Caring Practices Award, recognized the needs of these vulnerable parents and took the initiative to change care delivery. Her efforts resulted in a healthcare system truly driven by the needs of patients and families in which she continues to make her optimal contribution.
Beverley has touched the lives of both infants and parents assisting them through a most stressful period. Beverley came to identify in these families a great need for emotional support. She proposed the creation of a hospital-sponsored parent support group, which was approved and became a reality in 2004.
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Parents Support focuses on the parents of premature and critically infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. Beverley serves as the facilitator, creating a safe and trusting environment in which parents can express their thoughts and feelings concerning their baby and his/her stay in NICU. Beverley evaluates the needs of these families and communicates her findings to the healthcare team so that care can be individualized.
Beverley's program helped these parents, in addition to many others, to better understand and cope with the critical illness of their baby, giving them a renewed sense of control.
Beverley has made a lasting impact on the families she has touched. She has empowered them with the ability to cope with their child's prematurity, illness or death. Through her efforts, Beverley has helped parents regain some of the control they felt they had lost because of their child's extended hospitalization and charted a better course of safe passage for all involved. Beverley's work and contributions make her truly deserving of AACN's Excellence in Caring Practices Award.
