Using the Eat Sleep Console Model to Promote Optimal Care and Outcomes for Infants With Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome:...

Area of Science:

• Neonatal care
• Quality improvement in pediatrics
• Pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions

Background:

• A quality improvement project implemented the Eat Sleep Console (ESC) model to enhance inpatient care for infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS).
• The ESC model promotes rooming-in and family-centered care as a non-pharmacological treatment strategy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the ESC model with the traditional Finnegan treatment approach.
• To evaluate differences in pharmacotherapy (morphine) use, length of stay (LOS), weight loss, mother's own milk consumption, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) use, and Pediatric Unit utilization.

Main Methods:

• A comparative effectiveness study design was employed.
• The study was conducted at a single hospital site in the Midwestern United States with over 1700 annual deliveries.

Main Results:

• The ESC model significantly reduced morphine treatment and decreased LOS in treated infants.
• Infants managed with ESC showed increased weight loss (if not on morphine) and reduced NICU utilization.
• There was a trend towards increased consumption of mother's own milk prior to discharge, though not statistically significant.

Conclusions:

• The ESC model offers a valuable approach for optimizing care for opioid-exposed infants.
• Utilizing eating, sleeping, and consoling assessments guides individualized treatment and can reduce morphine dependency.
• Hospitals can leverage these findings to improve outcomes for infants with NAS.