Quality Improvement Targeting Non-pharmacologic Care and As-needed Morphine Improves Outcomes in Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome.

ABSTRACT: Despite the rising incidence of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), there remains wide practice variation in its management. Many recent studies have focused on implementing new symptom scoring systems, typically as part of larger improvement interventions. Despite the continued use of the Finnegan Scoring System, we performed a quality improvement project to reduce the day of life at discharge and cumulative opioid exposure for newborns with NAS.

Methods

We developed a protocol for NAS treatment emphasizing early transfer to general pediatric units, maximization of non-pharmacologic care, and use of as-needed morphine whenever pharmacologic treatment is required. Outcome metrics were the day of life at discharge and cumulative morphine exposure. As a process measure, we also monito

SUBMITTER: McMorrow TJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9649270 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature