Communication Pathways Between Families, Healthcare Teams, and Infants in the NICU: A Narrative

Effective communication in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) is central to Family-Centered Care (FCC), shaping how parents understand their infant’s condition, engage in shared decision-making, and form therapeutic partnerships with the healthcare team. Grounded in communication theory, this narrative review explores the triadic interaction among families, healthcare professionals, and infants, emphasizing how information exchange, relational communication, and emotional attunement influence clinical processes and parental experiences. The review synthesizes international and national literature to highlight recurrent communication challenges, including fragmented information flow, limited parental inclusion in care discussions, and variability in professional communication skills. Drawing on FCC principles, we identify evidence-based strategies that strengthen communication effectiveness, such as structured communication tools, routine family meetings, digital information platforms, parent-reported experience measures, and nurse-led relational support. These interventions enhance parental empowerment, reduce anxiety, and contribute to improved continuity and quality of care. The Turkish NICU context is also considered, underscoring the cultural and systemic factors that shape family engagement and communication expectations. Overall, this review demonstrates that communication is not merely a clinical task but a relational process that underpins FCC and supports the emotional well-being of families navigating the NICU environment. Strengthening communication pathways can promote safer, more collaborative, and developmentally supportive neonatal care.