Collaborative experiences for NICU and early childhood education personnel

Participation of NICU staff in special education teacher training is discussed as a method for improving follow-up care of high-risk infants and for helping agencies comply with Public Law 99-457, which mandates services for disabled preschoolers and encourages intervention for infants and toddlers. Through a collaborative training program involving a medical center and a university, education students spent 15 to 20 hours in the NICU. Nurses gained a greater understanding of community-based early intervention programs and available providers and made referrals with more confidence. Student teachers witnessed the medical conditions and treatments experienced by NICU patients, gaining an understanding of the types of medical histories their future clients would have. The collaborating hospital developed working relationships with agencies that provide follow-up care to NICU graduates. The article discusses medical and educational models of care, implications and benefits of incorporating developmental care into NICU practice, effects of the law on early intervention programs, and features of the model collaborative program.