Nondiscriminatory, Multidisciplinary Care for Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

Abstract

Newborn Care Poster Presentation Purpose for the Program The State of Ohio has recommended that all labor and delivery hospitals drug test women in labor to better detect infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). A multidisciplinary approach to caring for infants diagnosed with NAS is essential to optimizing outcomes. An innovative education session was developed for all disciplines to promote nondiscriminatory evidence-based care. Proposed Change Based upon the recommendations from the State of Ohio, needs assessment of the perinatal staff, and an increase in maternal drug and substance abuse in the Greater Cincinnati Area, a community-based Level II Family Birth Center examined and developed an innovative multidisciplinary education program about the plan of care for infants diagnosed with NAS that provided nondiscriminatory family-centered care and improved inter-rater reliability with the Finnegan Scoring Tool. Implementation, Outcomes, and Evaluation In response to the increase in maternal drug abuse, the NAS education program was implemented in collaboration with nurses, physicians, social workers, pharmacists, and spiritual care. Together the team created a multidisciplinary education program that covered incidence and general discussion of NAS; identification of fetal, maternal, and neonatal effects of commonly abused perinatal drug exposure; the role of diversity and compassionate care in relation to perinatal drug exposure; social service involvement in relation to perinatal maternal drug abuse and NAS; types of drug-testing techniques, pharmacologic protocol, and treatment for NAS; nonpharmacologic treatment for newborns with NAS; and scoring the signs and symptoms of NAS using the Finnegan Scoring Tool. As a result, the NAS education program fostered interdisciplinary communication, identified standards of care, and promoted nondiscriminatory care. Implications for Nursing Practice With the application of the content covered in the NAS education program, nurses are able to facilitate nondiscriminatory family-centered care with an infant diagnosed with NAS. With the increase of NAS at the Level II facility, the education program improved delivery of care, enhanced multidisciplinary communication, and improved inter-rater reliability for the Finnegan Scoring Tool.