TNMU Scientists Take Part in the 11th International SCENE Symposium in Finland

The 11th SCENE (Separation and Closeness Experiences in the Neonatal Environment) Symposium was held in Turku, Finland, on 24–25 September 2026. The main objective of the symposium was to improve the care of preterm infants through the active implementation of family-centred care, starting in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), early skin-to-skin contact, neonatal pain assessment and management with parental involvement, improved communication and interaction in neonatal intensive care units, and psychosocial support in neonatal care.

Ukraine was represented at the symposium by professors Halyna Pavlyshyn and Iryna Sarapuk of I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University.

Particular attention at the 11th SCENE Symposium was paid to improving outcomes for preterm infants, creating a supportive environment for the most vulnerable babies in the NICU, and managing neonatal pain and stress through parental involvement, combining skin-to-skin contact, breastfeeding, and lullaby singing. The participants also discussed the specifics of parental care, with an emphasis on the benefits of “couplet care”, neonatal pain management, and the introduction of music therapy in intensive care units, which can have a positive impact on both parents and infants.

The experts in these areas included Professor Mats Eriksson (Sweden), Professor Marsha Campbell (Canada), Professor Anna Axelin (Finland), and Professor Pierre Kuhn (France), as well as representatives of parent organisations who established the POP group (Parent-led pain management to Optimize neonatal Pain care). Professors Halyna Pavlyshyn and Iryna Sarapuk of TNMU joined the group.

The main task of the group is to study and identify best practices for reducing and alleviating neonatal pain and stress in intensive care settings. This is important for infants, their parents, and healthcare professionals alike.

The TNMU professors expressed their sincere gratitude to the administration of Ivan Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University for its support and assistance and for providing the opportunity to participate in the 11th SCENE (Separation and Closeness Experiences in the Neonatal Environment) Symposium.