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Preemie Matters – September 2013

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In this issue of Preemie Matters: New Member • August Webinar Recap • Neonatal Nurses Day • Papas of Preemies • Home Visiting Programs for Preemies • NPA Annual Conference

New Member

Join us in welcoming the Coalition's newest member: Academy of Neonatal Nursing. Learn more about National Premature Infant Health Coalition membership and complete the online application on our website.

August Webinar Recap

Thanks to all who joined our August webinar on an important new resource for the field, the Multidisciplinary Guidelines for the Care of Late Preterm Infants, with presenter Raylene Phillips, MD, IBCLC, FAAP. And special thanks to participants who responded to our post-webinar survey. Among the results: 73% gave the webinar an overall rating of "excellent" and 94% say they would take part in a future NPIHC webinar. Participants came from hospitals/healthcare (40%), nonprofit/government (43%), and industry/corporations (16%). Missed the webinar or would like to share it with a colleague? Find the archived slides and audio on our website.

September 15 is Neonatal Nurses Day

National Neonatal Nurses Day - Sunday, September 15th - was established in 2000 by the National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN) as an opportunity for the neonatal community to honor nurse colleagues and show pride in the profession of neonatal nursing. This year NANN is encouraging all neonatal nurses and their units to embrace the theme "Love What You Do," sharing ideas for marking the occasion. Because we at NPIHC love what neonatal nurses do, we invite both parents and professionals to join us on September 15th on the NPIHC Facebook page, where we will honor and thank neonatal nurses across the country. With a post to our Facebook wall or a comment on our messages, please tell us about a neonatal nurse who has made a difference for YOU, sharing your stories and photos. .

Papas of Preemies

Joel Brens is on a mission to give a voice to the father's perspective of prematurity and the NICU. Following the preterm birth of his son Jayden in 2010, Brens founded Papas of Preemies as a support community run by parents, for parents. Through the Papas of Preemies website, blog, and Facebook page,  a growing lineup of contributor dads share personal insights, experiences, information, and resources. In October, Brens will be one of four Preemie Parent Alliance members speaking about his NICU experience for an audience of professionals at the National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN) Annual Educational Conference in Nashville.

Home Visiting Programs Effective for Preemies & Their Parents

A research review published in Pediatrics finds that home visits by nurses or other trained health professionals can improve the development of preterm infants and effectively support parents and the home environment. The first of its kind in 20 years, this review looked at 17 studies including a total of 2,983 babies, measuring outcomes in five categories. Currently 400 home visiting programs of this kind serve at least 500,000 U.S. families, largely funded by state and local governments. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) designates funding for home visiting programs aimed at improving outcomes for at-risk preemies and their mothers, which may expand their reach. This review's research team calls for additional studies to investigate how home visiting programs can best meet the needs of special populations, including low-income and late-preterm preemies and their families.

NPA's 34th Annual Conference

Registration is open for the National Perinatal Association's 34th Annual Conference, set for November 7-9 in Salt Lake City. With the theme "Families at the Center: New Dimensions in Perinatal Care," the event brings together healthcare professionals and parents - including representatives from NPIHC member organizations -  for a unique learning and networking opportunity. Sessions in this year's lineup cover topics including psychological services in the NICU, the impact of reproductive technologies, NICU environment of care, breast milk for preemies, prematurity's impact on the education system, preemie nutrition and bone density, music for parent and infant stress reduction, and more. Find complete details at NPA's conference brochure and registration flyer.

Sources:

Information is reported as provided and does not necessarily represent the view of the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition. A complete copy of HMHB’s disclaimer is available on our website.

Renee Klink