The NICU can be a scary place for any parent, and the COVID-19 pandemic is bringing new levels of uncertainty when it comes to having an infant in the NICU. Research is recognizing that the fear, stress, and anxiety parents carry throughout their child’s stay in the NICU can manifest itself into post-traumatic stress. Jill is joined by Dr. Katie Malin, a neonatal nurse practitioner at Children’s Wisconsin who has focused her research on perinatal post-traumatic stress disorder and its relationship to uncertainty. Jill and Katie discuss how nurses can help identify and support parents experiencing uncertainty surrounding their ill infant, with the hope of creating better family outcomes.

Advocating for patients, families, and fellow nurses is a vital part of the nursing role. Jill is joined by Jennifer Canvasser, founder and director of the NEC Society, to discuss advocacy and awareness both inside and outside the NICU. It is the hope of this NANNcast episode to inspire nurses everywhere to not only advocate for Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) prevention and treatment, but for the general safety and health of the broader NICU community as well. Listen in to learn about the NEC Society and visit necsociety.org for more information. Join us in celebrating NEC Awareness Day on May 17.

In healthcare institutions all over the world, nurses like you are using your ingenuity, creativity and expertise to help the world manage the current healthcare crisis. NANNcast would like to include your voice in an upcoming celebratory episode that highlights the good things happening amidst these challenging times. Share your uplifting stories in a 1-2-minute voicemail to NANNcast to be included in an upcoming episode. Voicemails should not include any patient information or institution names, but can include your name and where you are from. It just takes a minute to share your thoughts or stories to help lift up our entire neonatal nursing community! Call 847-701-4313 and leave your message for NANNcast today!

Host Jill Beck speaks with Dr. Christine A. Fortney, the Advances in Neonatal Care guest editor, and assistant professor at The Ohio State University College of Nursing, to discuss the Journal’s upcoming special series on palliative care. Often misunderstood by both health professionals and families, palliative care has become synonymous with end of life care – a limited definition that does not contain the full scope of palliative care. Dr. Fortney covers how to appropriately define palliative care, explains benefits of palliative care, and discusses the perspectives of both health professionals and parents when it comes to having patients in a palliative care program.

Are you an international listener? New members from outside the United States or Canada can join NANN for only $100 before April 15, 2020. Visit nann.org/CAST to learn more and join NANN. 

What makes music therapy so vital in the NICU? This episode of NANNcast explores how to utilize music therapy in ways that are healing for both patients and families. Host Jill Beck sits down with Laura Cerulli, a music therapist out of Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, to discuss the power of sound, voice, song and how our tiniest patients can benefit from music therapy.

Positive sensory experiences are vital for promoting optimal neurodevelopmental outcomes. That’s why Baby Bookworms, a NICU reading program that focuses on language nutrition, aims to provide positive experiences for NICU babies during the early, most delicate period of neurodevelopment. Sarah Bakke, BSN RNC-NIC, of Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children joins Jill Beck, the host of NANNCast, to discuss the importance of language nutrition and how the Baby Bookworms program was implemented.

Host Jill Beck, MSN RNC-NIC, is joined by Jennifer O’Malley, BSN RNC-NIC, of Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children. In NANNcast’s first episode, Jill and Jennifer explore strategies for optimizing neurodevelopmental outcomes by treating every NICU as a Neuro NICU. Dive into how a strong neurodevelopmental program is essential for improving long term outcomes of NICU patients.

Brought to you by the National Association of Neonatal Nurses, NANNcast was designed to introduce listeners to hot topics in Neonatology, with the hope of creating better patient outcomes. Guests on NANNcast will share their advice, tips, and expertise to better inform neonatal nurses, industry partners, and families of NICU patients.