Neonatal Withdrawal: Implementing an Eat, Sleep, Console Protocol
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Authors
Kendrick, Keiya
Issue Date
2023-05-11
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Abstract
Background: Opioid use and dependency is growing in the United States. An increasing number of infants are born each year with Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS). Hospital costs linked with NOWS tripled from roughly $731.8 million in 2009 to $2.5 billion in 2016 with Medicaid taking the brunt of these costs.
Purpose: To compare the Eat, Sleep, Console (ESC) model with the previous use of traditional Finnegan scoring to determine differences in length of stay and pharmacological use in the NOWS population. This project sought to decrease the average length of stay and pharmacological use by 40%.
Methods: A Quality Improvement project was conducted at a single hospital with more than 2000 deliveries per year in Nebraska. Baseline data was gathered from a chart review conducted from January 2020 until December 2021. The data from the chart review was then compared to the data collected during 2022 following ESC model implementation.
Results: The ESC model impacted the average length of stay and the use of pharmacological intervention in those infants diagnosed with NOWS. Pharmacologic use was decreased by 100%, and the average length of stay decreased by 58%, from 12.7 days to 5 days.
Implications: Results could be useful for NICU providers looking to optimize care for infants exposed to opioids in-utero.
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Creighton University
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Copyright is retained by the Author. A non-exclusive distribution right is granted to Creighton University