Almeida ML, Vasconcelos MVL, Pedrosa CMS, Peixoto ALVA, Tavares CHF. Silences, voices and losses: maternal experience in communicating bad news in a neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Interface (Botucatu). 2026; 30: e250169 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1590/interface.250169
Abstract
This article aims to analyze the mothers’ experience related to communication in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), within the context of palliative care, with an emphasis on the communication of bad news. This is a qualitative study using a narrative approach and content analysis. The results show that unclear and non-empathic communication intensified maternal suffering, while active listening, empathy, and respectful silence contributed to emotional support during grief. It is concluded that humanized communication practices, centered on families’ emotional needs, favor care and interaction in the NICU, contributing to the training of professionals better prepared to deal with the complexities of neonatal grief.
Keywords
Health communication; Neonatal palliative care; Humanization of care; Narrative inquiry
Access in: https://doi.org/10.1590/interface.250169
