Improving NICU Parent Communication at Maternal and Child Centre, Eti-Osa | ACQUIRE QI-PS 2026

Dr Adesola Adelaja shares how the Maternal and Child Centre, Eti-Osa team in Lagos, Nigeria is improving parental satisfaction through effective communication between health care workers and parents in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). An EMPATHIC-N parent questionnaire showed an overall parental satisfaction score of 76.7%, and 93% of parents said they would recommend the unit. But one in four parents were not fully satisfied with the communication they received about their baby's care, which can reduce parents' trust and confidence and create medico-legal risk. The team set out to raise overall parental satisfaction with NICU care from 76.7% to 90%. Baseline data varied widely, from around 60% up to about 80% and back down. The process map showed that the quality of communication depended largely on individual staff, so parents received different levels of information depending on who they spoke to. A Pareto analysis highlighted three areas: considering parents' opinions and concerns, parents' understanding of their baby's management plan, and consistency of information from health care workers. The team introduced three interventions: structured health education using a checklist, structured daily updates for parents, and simple visual aids to reinforce key information. The principle was to make communication a standard part of care rather than something that depends on who is on duty. Parents' understanding of their baby's care improved progressively, and the current satisfaction score is 93% against the 76.7% baseline, although the team notes the data do not yet show a sustained shift. To sustain the gains, communication is being embedded into NICU care, new staff are onboarded to the process, and key indicators will be reviewed at departmental meetings. Their key learnings: standardisation and consistency make a difference, and teamwork and shared ownership matter. The centre's MD/CEO, Dr Femi Aletan, joined to congratulate the team. Team leadership: Dr Adesola Adelaja Sponsorship: Dr Femi Aletan Mentorship: Stella Mburu Team: Adebayo Janet Ayanfe, Adetona Olamide Ayobami, Aribo Risikat Labake, Esther Edet Tom, Ilo Jennifer, Maduka Joy Chidimma, Nasiru Modupe Suwaibat, Olawuwo Funmilola Oluwaseun, Salau Kabirat Adebusola Chapters 0:00 Introduction 0:26 Problem statement 1:04 Target and baseline 1:34 Process map and root causes 2:18 Key drivers and interventions 3:01 Results 3:32 Sustain plan and impact 4:09 Key learning 4:35 Feedback and celebration This project is part of the 2026 ACQUIRE Quality Improvement-Patient Safety (QI-PS) Experiential Leadership Program, where frontline health workers across sub-Saharan Africa learn improvement science by leading real change in their own facilities. Quality takes a team! Learn more: https://acquirefrontline.org #QualityImprovement #PatientSafety #NewbornHealth #NICU #Nigeria #ACQUIRE