In an attempt to decrease pharmacologic treatment, decrease costs and length of stay (LOS) it is imperative to evaluate a non pharmacological treatment of infants experiencing neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) symptoms. Rooming-in or non-separation of parent and infant may be an effective treatment plan. More maternal-infant interaction improves NAS outcomes but is difficult to obtain in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Rooming-in care allows parents to be at the infant’s bedside 24-hours a day unless separation is indicated for medical reasons or safety reasons, (MacMillan, Rendon, Verma, Riblel, Washer, &Volpe Holmes, 2018). NUR-590 Evidence-Based Practice Project Proposal: Evaluation Plan
Methods Used in Collecting the Outcome Data
The most appropriate way to collect the data for this EBP project is utilization of structured observation as well as physical assessment. The observation will be systematic and purposeful by utilizing forms to document specific observations and assessments at specific times. The first tracking form will be the Modified Finnegan Withdrawal Scale (MFWS), a tool used to assess and score NAS infants based on subjective and objective data, this form will be utilized every four hours. The second will collect data on parent interactions, breastfeeding, NAS score, as well as transfer to NICU and discharge date. The third will collect demographic information and a unique identification number for each rooming-in pair to be completed when rooming-in begins. These structured observations and physical assessments can be coded and quantified for use in evaluation of the project, (Tappan, 2016).
Ways in Which the Outcome Measures Evaluate the Project Objectives
Typically when implementing a project the goal is to successfully achieve the project’s objective. “Senior executives use the general term project success to both subjectively describe and objectively evaluate the achievements of their projects”, (Meredith, & Zwikael, 2019). In this project the outcome being measured is infant LOS for infants that go directly to the NICU for treatment (the current standard of care) vs the LOS for infants rooming-in with parents (the intervention group). By comparing the LOS for the standard of care through chart reviews with logs kept by nurses on the rooming-in infants it can be determined if there is a decrease in LOS for the intervention group.
Outcome Measurement and Evaluation
As each family begins to room-in data will be collected in real time. Basic information will be collected on an EXCEL file that consists of:
All other data collection will be recorded using the unique ID number. Bedside RNs will be utilizing a printed tracking form to collect the following data on each infant:
The best practice team will meet weekly to analyze data early and transfer into EXCEL files.
The team is already familiar with EXCEL and it is provided for use from the facility. Performing preliminary analysis of the data helps avoid a large amount of data to be processed at the end of the project, helps catch problems early, helps detect safety problems early, and helps check interrater reliability, (Tappan, 2016). The actual analysis of data for this project is simple, the LOS of infants in the intervention group compared to LOS in infants who received the standard of care. The effect size will be determined by comparing the mean LOS of each group, (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2015). The test will be valid due to utilizing the same analysis for both groups and reliable because the same inclusion criteria will be used for both groups.
Strategies if Outcomes Do Not Provide Positive Results
“Quantitative studies are frequent
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