Role of reflective process in the implementation of developmentally supportive care in the newborn intensive care nursery

The National Collaborative Research Institute on Early Childhood Intervention (NCRI-ECI) multisite study of the effectiveness of family-focused, developmentally supportive care with low birthweight infants consisted of an experimental component and a reflective process component. This article describes the reflective process component, which is essential because of the theory-guided, relationship-based, and systems-oriented nature of developmental care; the complexity of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) environment; and the need for organized support for change and growth in NICU practice.