assessment-evaluation-high-risk-neonate-nicu-network-neurobehavioral

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

There has been a long-standing interest in the assessment of the neurobehavioral integrity of the newborn infant.  The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale ...

Brown University

Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island

Substance use during pregnancy often leads to involvement in the child welfare system, resulting in multiple social service systems and service providers working with families to achieve successful child welfare outcomes. The Vulnerable Infants Program of Rhode Island (VIP-RI) is a care coordination program developed to work with perinatal substance-users to optimize opportunities for reunification and promote permanency for substance-exposed infants. This paper describes services used by VIP-RI participants and child welfare outcomes.

Services used by perinatal substance-users with child welfare involvement: a descriptive study.

The Vulnerable Infants Program of Rhode Island is a care coordination program to promote permanency for substance-exposed infants by addressing parental needs and increasing collaboration among social service agencies. Over the first four years of the program, there was a decrease in time spent in the newborn nursery beyond medical necessity and identification of permanent placements by 12 months for 84% of infants, with the majority of infants (78%) placed with biological parents or relatives.

Vulnerable infants program of Rhode Island: promoting permanency for substance-exposed infants.

The Vulnerable Infants Program of Rhode Island (VIP-RI) was established as a care coordination program to promote permanency for substance-exposed newborns in the child welfare system. Goals of VIP-RI were to optimize parents' opportunities for reunification and increase the efficacy of social service systems involved with families affected by perinatal substance use. Findings from VIP-RI's final four years show that by 12 months, 86% of substance-exposed newborns had identified permanent placements and 77% were placed with biological parents or relatives.

A care coordination program for substance-exposed newborns.

Nurses caring for high-risk infants use advanced assessment skills to identify the nature of infant instability and to assure timely intervention. The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS) is a comprehensive assessment of neurological integrity and behavioral function of infants at risk. Research evidence supports its validity and reliability for clinical and research use. The NNNS offers nurses a neurobehavioral assessment especially suited to high-risk and premature infants.

Article	Year
Services used by perinatal substance-users with child welfare involvement: a descriptive study. Harm reduction journal\| PubMed ID: 20807432	2010
Vulnerable infants program of Rhode Island: promoting permanency for substance-exposed infants. Child welfare\| PubMed ID: 20945808	2010
A care coordination program for substance-exposed newborns. Child welfare\| PubMed ID: 22533057	2011
Refining Neurobehavioral Assessment of the High-Risk Infant Using the NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale. Journal of obstetric, gynecologic, and neonatal nursing : JOGNN / NAACOG\| PubMed ID: 22834719	2012

Lynne Andreozzi-Fontaine

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