Next Newborn / Neonatal Initiative

General Meeting
March 1, 2016

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Support for NICU Parents

Alison Stuebe, MD, MSc, FACOG
astuebe@med.unc.edu

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Initiative Background
The NICU experience is a potentially traumatic
event
9 to 53% of mothers score above threshold on PTSD
questionnaires
39-63% of NICU mothers report elevated symptoms of
depression in the first postpartum year
Fathers are also at increased risk of depression and
PTSD

Parental depression and anxiety are associated

with adverse infant developmental outcomes
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Initiative Background

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Profit et al (2014).
"Burnout in the NICU
setting and its relation
to safety culture." BMJ
Quality & Safety.

Initiative Background

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Profit et al (2014)
BMJ Quality & Safety.

"In the ideal NICU, psychosocial support of both

NICU parents and staff should be goals equal in
importance to the health and development of
babies."
Hynan MT & Hall SL. "Introduction: Psychosocial Program
Standards for NICU Parents." J Perinatol Supplement Dec. 2015.

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Initiative Background

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Initiative Aim
Goal: Improve psychosocial support at each center
by implementing elements of the National Perinatal
Associations Interdisciplinary Recommendations.
Key Outcome Measure(s):
Parental distress within 48 hours of discharge,
indexed by PPD questionnaire such as EPDS
Staff burnout, indexed by a validated instrument
such as the Maslach Burnout Inventory
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Initiative Domains

Peer Support
Family-Centered Developmental Care
Mental Health Professionals
Palliative and Bereavement Care
Post-Discharge Support
Staff Education and Support

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Initiative Reach
Target population
All parents of infants hospitalized in the NICU
All NICU staff
Target facilities
All hospitals that provide NICU care

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Initiative Impact
This initiative will address unmet mental
health needs of NICU parents and staff
Participating centers will collaborate in
implementing consensus recommendations
from a broad coalition of stakeholders
Psychosocial support will enable parents and
staff to optimize care for medically fragile
infants
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Initiative Challenges / Barriers

Staff will require additional training / in
services to screen for and address parental
psychosocial wellbeing
Implementing referral and treatment will
require navigating local behavioral health
resources

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Supporting Materials

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Supporting Materials

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http://support4nicuparents.org