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Postpartum Nurses' Experience Caring for Infants With Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
Jaspreet Loyal1, Victoria N Nguyen2, Doreen Picagli3
1Department of Pediatrics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; jaspreet.loyal@yale.edu.
Hospital Pediatrics
|July 24, 2019
Summary
Nurses on postpartum units now care for infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) with rooming-in, reporting challenges in managing parental expectations and workload. Consistent protocols are needed to support nurses caring for these infants.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Nursing practice
- Qualitative research
Background:
- Historically, infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) were transferred to the NICU for medication.
- Current practice involves rooming-in for NAS infants, reducing medication needs.
- This shift necessitates understanding the experiences of nurses on maternity and well-newborn units.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the lived experiences of nurses caring for infants with NAS on postpartum and well-newborn units.
- To identify challenges and successes associated with the current rooming-in protocol for NAS infants.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative methodology using focus groups.
- Conducted 5 focus groups with 17 registered nurses on postpartum units across 2 hospitals.
- Thematic analysis to identify consensus themes.
Main Results:
- Nurses face challenges in managing parental expectations for newborns with NAS.
- The current rooming-in protocol has positive aspects but challenges with the withdrawal scoring tool.
- Inconsistencies in care and communication, increased nursing workload, and emotional responses were reported.
Conclusions:
- Nurses on well-newborn units are increasingly caring for infants with NAS.
- Hospitals need to prepare staff and implement consistent protocols to support nurses.
- Addressing nurses' experiences is crucial for effective NAS care.