Carbon dioxide measurement is a fundamental measurement in the NICU.  It is essential to maintain CO2 levels within target levels to ensure positive outcomes.  Guest Chelsea Lee, International Clinical Education Manager at Sentec, shares the benefits of transcutaneous CO2 monitoring technology not only our fragile patients, but in guiding clinical decisions and prompt interventions. 

Learn, lead, and level up with NANN in Las Vegas! NANN's 38th Annual Conference Committee Chair, Kristin Howard, DNP APRN NNP-BC, joins Jill Beck to discuss all the exciting educational and networking offerings at NANN in Vegas. 

Register at nann.org/conference

NANNcast host Jill Beck is joined by the authors of NANN's medication safety position statement to discuss safe medication practices in the NICU and how nurses can advocate for safer standards and conditions.

NANN recommends a comprehensive approach to medication safety in the NICU that integrates technology, focused healthcare provider medication safety education, standardized medication process, and robust medication error reporting and prevention efforts.

Medication Safety in the NICU Position Statement. 

The International Neonatal Consortium (INC) is a global collaboration formed to forge a predictable regulatory path for evaluating the safety and effectiveness of therapies for neonates. Wakako Eklund, NNP, NANN member, and INC liaison, joins Jill Beck to discuss how nurses can promote safe NICU research.

INC Communications Toolkit for Nurses

The culture of research communication in neonatal intensive care units: key stakeholder perspectives 

Research shows that parents whose babies are hospitalized in the NICU experience trauma, stress, and the loss of their role as primary caregiver due to their time in the NICU. NICU nurses play a crucial role in providing family-centered care to support and empower NICU parents.

Nicole Nyberg is a neonatal nurse practitioner and the founder of Empowering NICU Parents, an organization that provides educational resources for parents with babies in the NICU. With her unique perspective as an NNP who also had a child in the NICU, she shares simple, yet impactful ways to engage and empower parents during their baby's NICU stay.

Empowering NICU Parents

Empowering NICU Parents Podcast

Understaffing puts patients at increased risk of missed or rationed care, medical incidents, disparities of care, and morbidity and mortality. In September 2021, NANN released the RN Staffing in the NICU position statement with staffing recommendations based on the acuity of the population served. Dr. Lori Armstrong and Karen Kopischke, the authors of the position statement, join Jill Beck on NANNcast to breakdown the position statement and share how nurses can advocate for safe staffing in their units. 

Read NANN's RN Staffing in the NICU position statement here.

NANNcast host Jill Beck and neonatal nurse and health equity leader Shelly Frisco discuss the detail behind the health disparity data, the impact of these inequities on mother and baby outcomes, and steps all neonatal nurses can take to advocate for and create change.

Access the literature cited in this episode here. 

Welcome to the first installment of NANNcast's new APRN series! The NANNcast APRN series covers trending topics in advanced practice neonatal nursing. On the first episode of the series, Bobby Bellflower, DNSc NNP-BC FAANP, and Michele Savin, DNP APRN NNP-BC, join Jill to discuss the national NNP shortage. Bobby and Michele discuss the NNP shortage and its impact on other roles in the NICU, share why they love advanced practice neonatal nursing, and provide resources for emerging neonatal nurse practitioners. 

The National Association of Neonatal Nurse Practitioners

Tiffany Moore returns to NANNcast for another research series episode! Tiffany, Jill Beck, Dr. Jenene Craig, and Dr. Sue Hall come together on this episode to explore how interdisciplinary research teams function in the NICU. They share their approach to gathering a multidisciplinary team, setting goals for each discipline, and working together to achieve the desired outcomes and provide the best care. 

Nearly all newborns run the risk of respiratory difficulties at birth. Premature babies often experience breathing problems due to underdeveloped lungs. Collaboration with respiratory therapists in the NICU is key for mitigating respiratory challenges. Respiratory therapists support many NICU operations, such as resuscitating in the delivery room or training nurses on proper ET tube placement. Hear NANNcast host Jill Beck and respiratory therapist Kim Ghebleh discuss how neonatal nurses and respiratory therapists can collaborate to improve patient outcomes in the NICU.