This study was motivated by the facts that professionals of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, not always, dedicate time to prepare the family to take care of the premature newborn at home. The aim of this study was to identify the procedures used by the nurse while preparing the family for the hospital discharge of the premature child. A bibliographical investigation was done using national and international data bases in the period of 1998 to 2008. The 10 useful texts were found and totally read. And from them, the principal focuses of approach were taken. It was verified that, in the country, the initiatives related to the involvement of the family in the care of the child in the hospital are still in the beginning and the strategies that ensure the independence of the family to take care of the child at home, need to be developed; abroad, it was verified that this kind of procedure is frequently used. The purpose of this text is to provide moments of reflection related to the nurse´s role while giving assistance to the family of the premature child.
Neonatal Nursing; Infant Care; Infant; Family