All NICU nurses understand the importance of human milk for vulnerable neonates. How do we support NICU families and mitigate the challenges associated with increasing rates of human milk in the COVID era? To discuss these issues, Jill Beck is joined by Dr. Diane Spatz, a leading nurse scientist in human milk. Dr. Spatz is an internationally recognized lactation professor, researcher, and clinician, and has developed a 10-step model for human milk and breastfeeding, which has been implemented in NICUs worldwide. Tune in to hear the 10-step model, as well as the latest expert guidance on breastfeeding in a pandemic, disparities in access to human milk, and the future of lactation education.

On this episode of NANNcast, Jill is joined by Sheila Gephart, a nurse scientist, Advances in Neonatal Care editorial board member, and associate professor at the University of Arizona. Sheila worked with babies diagnosed with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) as a bedside nurse. This experience led to her fascination and dedication to NEC research and prevention. Listen in to hear about Sheila’s research, GutCheck NEC, and how nurses can help prevent NEC. Please note: NANNcast strives to produce the highest quality recording to ensure a positive experience for all listeners. We apologize for the background static from minute 1:45 – 6:09.

Check out NEC-Zero and GutCheck NEC at https://neczero.nursing.arizona.edu/

On this episode of Nurse Scientists, Jill, Media, and Tiffany are joined by Amy D’Agata and Stephanie Abbu to discuss NANN's Research Summit! NANN's Research Summit, sponsored by Mead Johnson Nutrition, is an opportunity for neonatal nurses of all backgrounds to showcase their research, network, receive mentoring, and be supported by a community of passionate nurse scientists. Amy and Stephanie walk through their experiences at the summit and what participation has meant to them. Jill, Media, Tiffany, Amy, and Stephanie hope that listeners will be motivated to start their research journey and inspired to participate in the 2022 Research Summit. All you need is one burning question to get started!

Learn more about NANN's Research Summit at http://nann.org/education/research/research-summit

Jill Beck is joined by Gail Bagwell, NANN President and editor of NANN’s Newborn Safe Sleep Guideline, to discuss safe sleep. Jill and Gail start by clarifying the difference between sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) before diving into the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations for safe sleep. NICU nurses are instrumental in role modeling and educating parents on safe sleep. Listen in to learn how you can advocate for safe sleep environments in the hospital and after discharge.

Check out NANN’s Newborn Safe Sleep Guideline on www.nann.org/store, the only clinical practice guideline that addresses the challenges of implementing safe sleep practices in the hospital setting, and includes recommendations on how to do so effectively for children 1-month and 1-year of age.

Nurses are known to be compassionate, caring, and committed to their patients. These same nurses can sometimes be harsh and uncaring toward their colleagues. In this episode, Jill and Beth Bolick address incivility and bullying in the NICU. Beth, Professor at Rush University Medical Center College of Nursing, is a national speaker on the topic of bullying and incivility. There are a variety of ways incivility and bullying seep into the NICU - from gossip, teasing, eye-rolling, withholding business information, to even physical altercations. Beth and Jill dive into how bullying goes beyond the dyad of just two colleagues and impacts your entire unit and even direct patient care. Listen in to learn more about how to create a unit that is more civil and welcoming to colleagues and patient families alike. 

Visit http://stopbullyingtoolkit.org/ for some of the free resources Beth discusses. 

In this installment of Nurse Scientists, Jill, Media, and Tiffany speak with Leslie Parker on the vital role of bedside nurses in areas of research. Leslie is chair of NANN’s Research Institute Steering Council (RISC), a NNP at UF Health, and an assistant professor at the College of Nursing and College of Medicine at the University of Florida. Together Jill, Media, Tiffany, and Leslie dive into how integral bedside nurses are to neonatal research and driving change within the profession. Listeners will learn more about the importance of starting research, the resources NANN has to help, and the inspiring research Leslie is conducting. 

Every NICU nurse will encounter a newborn or infant with complex surgical anomalies. Understanding the unique needs of surgical neonates is important as nurses anticipate their delivery, stabilization, and possible transport to a surgical NICU. In this episode, host Jill Beck discusses with Taryn Edwards and Melissa Powell, both surgical neonatal nurse practitioners, some of the most common surgical anomalies ranging from esophageal atresia (EA), tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF), abdominal wall defects, pulmonary hypoplasia, and congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Listen in to learn more about these anomalies and how to best support both infants and their families.

Conducting research can sound daunting, especially to a bedside nurse with no formal research training. In the first episode of NANNcast’s limited series, Nurse Scientists, hosts Jill Beck and Media Esser sit down with chair of the Small Grants Committee, Amy Koehn, and fellow committee member and former small grant recipient, Ashlee Vance, to discuss how NANN’s Small Grants Program supports the novice nurse researcher. Together Jill, Media, Amy, and Ashlee hope to demystify some of the anxieties nurses have around starting their own research. Listen in to better understand the difference between research and evidence-based practice projects and how all you need is a burning question and some passion to embark on your own research journey! If you are interested in learning more about NANN’s Small Grants Program and submitting an application, please visit the NANN website. http://nann.org/education/research/small-grants

Neonatal neurocritical care is dedicated to addressing the potential impact and complications of injury on the developing brain. Early recognition of at risk newborns by means of advanced methods of neuro imaging combined with brain focused interventions may result in the prevention or reduction of life long disabilities. Many neonatal nurses care for patients that require advanced neuro imaging, but have little training in how to interpret neuro imaging. Jill is joined by two experts in neonatal neurology, Kathi Randall, MSN NNP-BC and Diane Wilson, MN NP-Paeds NNP-BC. Together Jill, Kathi, and Diane discuss advanced imaging technologies like MRI, how nurses can better interpret neuro imaging results, and how to support families whose baby requires neuro imaging.

Jill is joined by Carol Wallman, DNP APRN NNP-BC, lead author of NANN’s position statement Marijuana, Breastfeeding, and the Use of Human Milk. Jill and Carol dive into the position statement, which recommends women abstain from marijuana consumption during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Listen in to learn more about the research surrounding marijuana and breastfeeding along with recommendations for how to support mothers that are using marijuana while breastfeeding. 

Read NANN’s official position statement and infographic on Marijuana, Breastfeeding, and the Use of Human Milk at nann.org/about/position-statements.