Defining the roles of a parent mentor: To actively and empathetically listen to and encourage NICU parents without trying to solve their problems or give them advice;19, 20, 40
To assist parents in identifying and utilizing their current support systems;
To offer emotional and informational support;
To encourage advocacy for their baby;
To empower parents to step into their parental role as an essential member of their NICU baby's care team; and
To identify when to ask for help and where help is available for parents that mentors are supporting.20