SIR Medicine Investigation Abstract
COMPARING THE NEONATAL NURSE PRACTITIONER (NNP) ROLE TO THE RESIDENT ROLE IN THE NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT (NICU)
Presenter:
Rabeah Sabri, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, 1500 West Sullivan Road, Aurora, IL 60506; rabeah@imsa.edu
Mentor:
Jonathan K. Muraskas, M.D., Loyola University Medical Center, Pediatrics/Neonatology, 2160 South First Avenue, Maywood, IL 60153
Abstract:
Over the past three decades, the NNP has evolved into a very important and integral part of the NICU. Research focused on determining the difference in care administered by NNP teams and Resident teams to neonatal newborns with regards to length of stay in the NICU and mortality rate. Newborns admitted to Loyola University Medical Center's NICU were first sorted by gestational age and chi-square analysis was used to evaluate significant differences in care between the two groups. Results indicated that mortality rate was 6% higher in newborns cared for by residents than by NNPs. Differences in length of stay in the NICU also approached significance, indicating a possible difference in the quality of care provided to newborns. This difference in care provided by NNPs, in addition to the NNPs broadened technical skills, has significant implications in the future of newborn outcome in the NICU.