Abstract

The rapidly increasing incidence of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) in the U.S. has been identified as a national healthcare crisis. An evidence-based practice change project, ";Interprofessional Healthcare Provider Education on NAS"; (IHPEN) was designed to implement a protocol to increase consistency in treatment for infants with NAS and provision of healthcare provider education to increase knowledge regarding NAS, as well as sensitivity to the signs and symptoms of withdrawal. The target population included all healthcare providers in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Mother/Baby Unit of a large, urban, not-for-profit perinatal center. The project was developed in response to a need for an organized, structured, systematic, and collaborative approach to assessment and treatment. This need was based on the following observations: (a) increasing numbers of patients admitted to the NICU who were diagnosed with NAS, (b) long lengths of stay for infants with NAS, (c) an inconsistent approach to the pharmacologic treatment and weaning of medications because of a lack of a protocol for infants with NAS, (d) frustration expressed by all neonatal healthcare providers as how to ";best"; handle infants with NAS, and (e) a need for staff education on the topic of NAS.

Mary Puchalski

Author Details

Mary Puchalski, DNP, MS, RNC-NIC, APN, CNS, NNP-BC

Sigma Membership

Non-member

Type

Dissertation

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Other

Research Approach

Translational Research/Evidence-based Practice

Keywords:

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, Drug-addicted Mothers, Health Care Education

Advisor

Paula Meier

Degree

DNP

Degree Grantor

Chatham University

Degree Year

2014

Rights Holder

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All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.

All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Review Type

None: Degree-based Submission

Acquisition

Proxy-submission

Date of Issue

2019-05-09

Full Text of Presentation

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