Perinatal / Neonatal Outreach Program

Perinatal Liaison Meeting (0900-1230)

This is a quarterly meeting of perinatal nursing leadership in the Nationwide Children’s referral area. We seek to provide a collaborative environment for problem-solving and quality improvement in the care of mothers, babies, and families. This meeting is open to all directors, managers, educators, clinical leaders, lactation consultants of NCH referral area.

• Dates: 2nd Tuesday in March, June, September, and December
• Location: Nationwide Children’s Hospital
• Cost: Free

Lactation Consultant Liaison Meeting (0900-1230)

This is a bi-annual meeting of lactation consultants in the Nationwide Children’s referral area. We seek to provide a collaborative environment for problem-solving and quality improvement in increasing the breastfeeding rates of all babies. All lactation consultants are encouraged to attend.

• Dates: 2nd Tuesday in March and September
• Location: Nationwide Children’s Hospital
• Cost: Free

Comprehensive Nursing Care of the Sick Newborn (BF) (Four 8.5-hour days)

A four day course offered semi-annually at main campus, this conference is designed for nurses new to neonatal care or those working in level 1 and level 2 maternity units who desire to further their professional development. A multi-disciplinary panel of speakers addresses topics of interest.

• Dates: Spring and Fall annually
• Location: Nationwide Children’s Hospital
• Cost: $120 (includes course materials)
• Min. 12 participants

Unless otherwise prearranged, all classes are held from 0800-1630

Newborn Assessment for the Labor & Delivery and Mother/Infant Nurse (F)

The Newborn Assessment class offers to the L&D and M/I nurse knowledge for comprehensive physical assessment of the neonate, focusing on the recognition of normal and abnormal variations as well as provide appropriate care based on findings. Topics include: newborn gestational age and physical assessment, transition to extrauterine life, common newborn problems, and case studies. Can be scheduled at your facility.

• Dates: March and September annually
• Location: Nationwide Children’s Hospital
• Cost: $30 at NCH; $15 at your hospital (Includes course materials)
• Min. 7 participants

Transporting Newborns the S.T.A.B.L.E®. Way (F)

This trademarked program developed by Dr. Kris Karlsen focuses on a concise guideline of neonatal stabilization activities to be used by caregivers prior to transport. This course is recommended for Level I and Level II facilities or facilities with obstetrical services. This course meets the Ohio Department of Health Maternity Licensure rules requirements for a post-resuscitation class. Can be scheduled at your facility.

• Dates: April and October annually
• Location: Nationwide Children’s Hospital
• Cost: $20 at NCH; $15 at your hospital
• (No materials provided. Each participant must come to class with the S.T.A.B.L.E. textbook.)
• Min. 7 participants

Cardiac S.T.A.B.L.E. ® (BF)

This 8 hour course developed by Dr. Kris Karlsen and Dr. Lloyd Y. Tani provides guidelines for the assessment, recognition, and stabilization of neonates with suspected congenital heart disease.

• Dates: Scheduled off-site as requested
• Location: Your hospital
• Cost: $15/person
• (No materials provided. Participants will need to purchase Cardiac S.T.A.B.L.E. textbook).
• Min. 7 participants

Fundamentals of Post-Resuscitation Care of the Newborn (F)

This half day course is designed to meet the post-resuscitation education requirements of the Ohio Department of Health. The course covers in a ½ day the basics of post-resuscitation care of glucose management, temperature regulation, airway management, blood pressure support, lab work/sepsis evaluation, parental support and quality improvement.

• Dates: Scheduled off-site as requested
• Location: Your hospital
• Cost: $10/person
• Min. 7 participants

Imposter, Pretender, or the Real Thing. The Late Preterm Infant (F)

This course is designed to increase the healthcare provider’s knowledge of the prevalence of late preterm birth in the U.S., discuss the increased risk of morbidity and mortality in this population, and offer guidance for nursing care that ensures best outcomes.

• Dates: Scheduled off-site as requested
• Location: Your hospital
• Cost: $10/person
• Min. 7 participants

The Newborn Lung & Respiratory Interventions (BF)

This seminar focuses on the unique physiology and pathophysiology of the neonatal lung. Utilizing didactic lectures and interactive discussion this course covers fetal development, pulmonary mechanics and specific respiratory disorders of transition after birth. Participants will have the opportunity for hands-on practice with CPAP, surfactant, mechanical ventilators, and chest tubes. The facility’s equipment will be utilized during this class during the hands-on technical skills.

• Dates: Scheduled off-site as requested
• Location: Your hospital
• Cost: $10/person
• Min. 7 participants

Nursing Care of the Infant with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (Usually takes 2 ½ hours due to discussion) (BF)

This course is designed to increase the healthcare provider’s knowledge of the addiction problem in Ohio, identify and care for babies experiencing withdrawal, enhance proper utilization of the Finnegan Scoring Tool, and to provide compassionate care to the mother of the baby.

• Dates: Scheduled off-site as requested
• Location: Your hospital
• Cost: Free
• Min. 7 participants

Neonatal Skin Care

Neonatal skin is an often overlooked organ system, but yet it is one of the most important in helping to prevent infections. An overview of skin development, the differences between neonatal and adult skin, tools used to assess the skin’s condition as well as pressure injuries, the recognition of pressure injuries and methods to prevent and/or to assist with healing once an injury occurs will be presented.

• Dates: Scheduled off-site as requested
• Location: Your hospital
• Cost: Free
• Min. 7 participants

Intubation for Respiratory Therapists

Intubating a newborn is often difficult especially if it is a skill that is not used on a regular basis. In this course a review of neonatal airway anatomy, equipment needed to intubate and tricks to assure success will be reviewed. In addition time is allowed for practice utilizing a low-fidelity simulator.

• Dates: Scheduled off-site as requested
• Location: Your hospital
• Cost: Free
• Min. 7 participants

The Greatest Challenge: Transition from Intrauterine to Post-natal Life

Transitioning from intrauterine life to life on the outside is one of the greatest physical challenges all humans must achieve in order to survive. This class will cover the intrauterine environment and fetal circulation, the transition processes that have to occur immediately, over hours, days and months, current care practices based on evidence to promote an optimal transition and signs of an abnormal transition.

• Dates: Scheduled off-site as requested
• Location: Your hospital
• Cost: Free
• Min. 7 participants

When Sleeping Isn’t Safe: Improving Sleep Safety in Infants (F)

This course is designed to increase the healthcare provider’s knowledge of racial, ethnic, and cultural disparities in infant mortality in relation to sleep-related deaths, as well as strategies to provide culturally appropriate care and education based on the American Academy of Pediatrics Recommendations.

• Dates: Scheduled off-site as requested
• Location: Your hospital
• Cost: Free
• Min. 7 participants

Trauma Informed Care (F)
1 Nursing CE

Trauma informed care is a thoughtful approach to care of the family in crisis. Trauma and adverse early life experiences have been shown to have life long consequences. This course is designed to discuss trauma informed care for the family, newborn, and the care giver.

• Dates: Scheduled off-site as requested
• Location: Your hospital
• Cost: Free
• Min. 7 participants

Neonatal Blood Gas Interpretation (F)

Do you need expertise in how to interpret and ABG, CBG or cord gases? This course is designed to discuss the clinical utility of different types of blood gases, interpretation, and possible interventions for abnormalities.

• Dates: Scheduled off-site as requested
• Location: Your hospital
• Cost: Free
• Min. 7 participants

How Safe is that Milk? Understanding the Pharmacokinetics of Drugs in Breast Milk (F)

Breastfeeding is considered to be the ideal nutrition for all neonates and we encourage all women to breastfeed their baby. But with the increase in the substance abuse problem in Ohio and the nation, is it safe for the baby of the substance abusing women to breastfeed? This course will help to answer that question as a review of pharmacokinetics of drugs in the breast milk as well as a review of the some of the more common drugs abused by women and how easily they may or may not pass into the breast milk.

• Dates: Scheduled off-site as requested
• Location: Your hospital
• Cost: Free
• Min. 7 participants

Oral Feeding and the Preterm Infant (BF)

Achieving full oral feedings is one of the last milestones a preterm infant has to achieve prior to discharge. This course is designed to discuss the development of feeding skills, strategies to support safe feeding, and how to support skill attainment in the preterm infant.

• Dates: Scheduled off-site as requested
• Location: Your hospital
• Cost: Free
• Min. 7 participants

Neonatal Pneumothorax (BF)

Air leak syndromes are a known risk of providing positive pressure to infants with respiratory illness. This course is designed to discuss the acute recognition, assessment, diagnosis, and nursing care of the infant with a pneumothorax or other air leak.

• Dates: Scheduled off-site as requested
• Location: Your hospital
• Cost: Free
• Min. 7 participants

Neonatal Apnea (BF)

Apnea is a frequent problem in newborns, especially those who delivered preterm. This course is designed to discuss the acute recognition, assessment, diagnosis, documentation, nursing care and safe discharge of the infant with apnea.

• Dates: Scheduled off-site as requested
• Location: Your hospital
• Cost: Free
• Min. 7 participants

Spit Happens: Reflux in the Term and Preterm Infant (BF)

Reflux is a frequent problem in newborns, especially those who delivered preterm. This course is designed to discuss the physiology, assessment, diagnosis, documentation, medical/nursing care and safe discharge of the infant with reflux.

• Dates: Scheduled off-site as requested
• Location: Your hospital
• Cost: Free
• Min. 7 participants

Neonatal Emergency Care From All the Angles (F)
Nurses may only claim credit for contact hours once every renewal cycle.

This course is designed to help prepare the multidisciplinary team for neonatal emergencies. Didactic content will include,
readiness, role assignment, and team functions including huddles and debriefing. Stimulation and debriefing will be used to
reinforce learning.

Possible scenarios:

• Emergency management of the surprise extremely low birthweight delivery.
• The unexpected emergency at term.
• Emergency management of sudden deterioration of a previously well newborn.
• Emergency management equipment malfunction in the infant requiring support.

Neonatal Skills Workshop (F or BF)

These workshops focus on different skills required to care for the newborn, especially the high-risk, low volume skills. Workshops
include: 

• Airway Management –Including Suctioning, LMA Insertion and Assisting with Surfactant Administration
• Intraosseous Insertion
• Neonatal Blood Transfusion
• Assisting with Neonatal LP
• PICC Line Maintenance

Low volumes skills below may have 0.5 Nursing CE available once every renewal cycle.

• Neonatal IV: Neonatal IV placement and Care
• Care of the infant receiving cpap
• Care of the patient with an airleak
• Care and use of umbilical lines (UAC/UVC)
• Care of the intubated neonate (assisting with intubation, assessing placement, suctioning, etc)
• Moving the patient who requires monitoring and support equipment

You may mix and match which workshops you would like to pair together based on the needs of your unit.

Workshops can be offered multiple times in one day to increase participation.

• Dates: Scheduled off-site as requested
• Location: Your hospital
• Cost: Free

Neonatal Hypoglycemia: A Sticky Situation!

Neonatal glucose homeostasis is a widely debated topic. This presentation describes normal glucose homeostasis in the fetus and newborn, current definition of neonatal hypoglycemia, current care practices based on evidence to promote normal glucose homeostasis and long-term outcomes of newborns with hypoglycemia.

• Dates: Scheduled off-site as requested
• Location: Your hospital
• Cost: Free
• Min. 7 participant

Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia: When your Baby Has that Special Glow!

All newborns will develop some degree of hyperbilirubinemia. Being able to differentiate between normal and abnormal hyperbilirubinemia is often difficult. An overview of the causes of hyperbilirubinemia, the differences between indirect and direct hyperbilirubinemia, how to treat the different types and the long-term complications of hyperbilirubinemia will be discussed.

• Dates: Scheduled off-site as requested
• Location: Your hospital
• Cost: Free
• Min. 7 participant

Case Reviews

Did you have a difficult case that you would like to review? The experts in Perinatal Outreach are available to come to your facility to do an in-depth review of the case with your nursing/respiratory staff. This review will focus on a review of the pathophysiology of the disease process and nursing and respiratory care provided and nursing and respiratory care provided.

Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)

The American Academy of Pediatrics NRP Program is designed to be done at each individual delivery facility by your own NRP Instructors. At times facilities have experienced a shortage of instructors for a variety of reasons, the NCH Perinatal Outreach Program has 2 experienced NRP instructors that can serve as a resource during this time as well as mentors to new NRP instructors at your facility.

Neonatal Simulation

Simulation is a proven modality that helps to improve outcomes. The Perinatal Outreach program will come to your facility to work with your interdisciplinary staff on resuscitation and stabilization scenarios. Trained debriefing staff will facilitate learning and help you to improve the care you give to your neonatal patients. Let us set up a schedule for ongoing learning!

Unit Assessments

Are you thinking of increasing your level of care? Do you feel that you may be able to do things better in the care of a neonate? An experienced neonatal nursing expert can come to your facility to assist with your needs.