Good Samaritan Hospital improves OUD and NAS care for mothers and newborns
Opioid use disorder in pregnancy and neonatal abstinence syndrome have escalated dramatically in recent years, and have been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. To address this growing issue, Good Samaritan Hospital (a member of Catholic Health Long Island) began its Learning to C.A.R.E (consistency, assist, respect, empathy) program to improve the type and level of care given to mothers with OUD and newborns suffering from NAS.
First, Good Samaritan Hospital developed and implemented a standardized process for identification, evaluation, treatment and safe discharge of those affected by OUD and NAS. This was accomplished by focusing on education, providing non-judgmental care, increasing early recognition and treatment of mothers and improving non-pharmacologic care for newborns. The goals were to decrease length of stay and medication requirements for newborns while increasing screening to support mothers with OUD, and providing timely referrals to mental health and addiction resources to start the journey toward recovery.
Due to these care changes, rooming-in and non-pharmacologic care of newborns increased, and the need for medication decreased by 50%. The average length of stay for newborns decreased from 14 days to 11 days. Additionally, screening of all labor and delivery admissions using the 4P+ screening tool for substance use increased.
For more information, contact Donna Celentano, MS, RNC, special projects manager and coordinator, New York Statewide Perinatal Data and NYSQPI, at donna.celentano@chsli.org or 631.376.3801.
