The Importance of Multiprofessional Care in Neonatal Care: An Integrated Approach to Newborn Health

Abstract

Neonatal healthcare has undergone significant social, technological, economic, and political changes over the years. Consequently, new techniques have been refined, from childbirth assistance to the care practices that enable the newborn’s survival, such as the creation of neonatal ICUs. These efforts require a specialized multidisciplinary team responsible for ensuring the newborn's health. The objective of this study is to analyze the role of the multidisciplinary team in newborn care. This is an integrative literature review, conducted with the guiding question: “What is the importance of the multidisciplinary team in newborn care?” The research was carried out between January and February 2023, selecting 13 scientific health-related articles. Only freely accessible and complete studies in Portuguese, English, and Spanish were included. Duplicated articles, theses, dissertations, incomplete or restricted studies, and those that did not meet the study objective were excluded. The stages followed included formulating the question, data collection, classification, analysis, and synthesis of the results. Quality newborn care is linked to several factors, including interdisciplinarity, specialization, holistic care, and effective communication between the team and with the newborn’s family. To make this possible, special attention to the mental health of the multidisciplinary team is essential, as these professionals are often exposed to the emotional stress experienced in neonatal ICUs, the extensive workload, and the grieving process, which can impact their performance. The multidisciplinary team plays an essential role in newborn care, ensuring a comprehensive and specialized approach to safeguard the newborn's health and well-being. The quality of care depends not only on technical skills and knowledge but also on teamwork, effective communication, and attention to the emotional needs of both the family and the team itself. Given the challenges and emotional stress present in neonatal ICUs, prioritizing the mental health of professionals is crucial to maintain high-quality performance and humanized care.