Today, more newborns and high-risk neonates have a better chance of thriving because of the advances in medicine and the dedicated care they receive from neonatal nurses on the front line.  

Better-Outcomes.org in collaboration with a leading neonatal expert, Dr. Terese Verklan, have developed CE-accredited webinars focusing on neonatal care. These new webinars are available free and on-demand to health professionals involved with the care of our most vulnerable patients.

 

Assessment of Infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS)

Drug use among pregnant women can lead to problems in the developing fetus including congenital anomalies, problems with growth, preterm labor, withdrawal or toxicity in the newborn, and later problems with neuro-development. One of the most readily apparent problems created by in utero exposure to drugs is neonatal abstinence syndrome. This presentation will discuss the definition of NAS, the drugs that may cause signs of neonatal abstinence, screening methods and the use of the Finnegan scoring tool to assess the severity of withdrawal signs and the importance of being reliable when scoring. 

 

Management of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS): Therapeutic Interventions  

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) can be potentially severe and cause long hospital stays. Pharmacological interventions are commonly used as treatment and their safety and efficacy is continuing to be studied. Non-pharmacologic interventions and complementary therapies have also been documented. This presentation will discuss the pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic goals of treating infants with NAS. There will also be a discussion of the most common drugs used to manage signs of withdrawal and two different strategies, weight based vs sign based, to determine when pharmacologic treatment is needed.  Additionally, nurse-driven interventions including swaddling, kangaroo care, low stimuli and breastfeeding will also be discussed.

 

The High BMI Mother: Challenges and Care Strategies Related to Patient Safety and the Obstetrical Nurse

The prevalence of obesity is rapidly increasing not only in the United States but across the globe. This places a major impact on women of childbearing age and specifically pregnancy. Knowledge of the associated risks in pregnancy and intrapartum are imperative for nurses to continually assess and intervene to promote a safe maternal-fetal environment. Many challenges and limitations may arise while assessing maternal and fetal well-being during fetal monitoring sessions. The ability to recognize and apply strategic interventions are critical for the obstetrical nurse. 

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Unplanned Extubation in the NICU: Preventing the Risk

 Unplanned extubation is an unanticipated removal of an endotracheal tube that potentially places a patient at risk for short- or long-term complications. In neonates, spontaneous movement, tube dislodgement during procedures, uncuffed endotracheal tubes, positioning, and suctioning, increase the threat of unplanned extubation in this population. In this CE webinar, neonatal experts will share protocols from their facility on how focusing efforts on controllable measures to reduce the incidence of unplanned extubation in the NICU is crucial to preventing it. Sustaining adherence to prevention measures is the greatest challenge to bedside caregiver and is necessary to protect the patient from harm.

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Recognition and Management of the Neonate with Pneumonia

Pneumonia in a newborn can be very difficult to differentiate from respiratory distress syndrome. More specifically, late-onset pneumonia is commonly thought to be related to other etiologies. The presentation will discuss the etiology of early- and late-onset pneumonia and identify common pathogens that are responsible for the illness. Pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation, management and complications will also be presented.