Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 17, 2026
Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
A quality improvement project to optimize the neonatology research experience for families
Marianna B Castellanos1, Adrian Baca-Arzaga2, Maria Laura Mourão3,4
1Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital at Montefiore Einstein, Bronx, NY, USA. macastella@montefiore.org.
Background:
Enrollment in neonatal research is challenging due to time-limited decisions and consent complexity, contributing to biased samples.
Local Problem:
In our NICU, research consent approaches were inconsistent, participation data were limited, and multiple studies occurred concurrently.
Methods:
We conducted a quality improvement initiative (January 2022-December 2023) with secondary analysis of sociodemographic factors. Primary measures were the percent of eligible families approached and consenting; subgroup analyses examined language, gestational age, and insurance.
Interventions:
Seven PDSA cycles targeted staffing, language-concordant and antenatal approaches, team coordination, and standardized training.
Results:
The approach rate increased from 52% to 66% with special cause variation. Overall, 65% of families consented. Observational studies enrollment showed special cause variation; interventional enrollment remained stable. Antenatal approaches yielded a 91% consent. Language-concordant approaches were associated with higher consent among Spanish- (88%) and Portuguese-speaking (83%) families (p = 0.047).
Conclusions:
Structured team processes and language-concordant, antenatal approaches improved rates and supported more equitable participation.
