This session is primer about antibiotic resistance (ABR) and stewardship (AS) and a call to action for members of the neonatal team. Participants will leave with individualized plans to leverage in their worksite.

Antibiotics are essential, however inappropriate use contributes to the development of ABR. An estimated 90% of neonates are exposed to antibiotics in the NICU. This contributes to negative outcomes such as NEC and fungal infections, and future health problems like childhood obesity, and asthma. A recent survey of NICU nurses found that over half administered an antibiotic they thought was inappropriate and most do not question providers about antibiotic choice, dose, or route. AS is a core strategy to combat ABR and is intended to ensure patient safety through coordinated inter-professional interventions to optimize antibiotic use.

The session reviews NANN’s coinciding conference priorities of patient and medication safety, quality care, teamwork, and evidence-based infection control practices, and the historical background of ABR and neonatal effects. Key tenants of AS will be explained; bedside as well as advanced practice nurses will learn how to question which areas of their institution may benefit from intervention. Case presentations will help nurses think critically about best practices including ways to implement AS modalities.

Despite a wealth of information in the literature, much is focused on adults. The discussion will identify gaps in knowledge for the neonate and offer areas for future investigation.

Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of this activity, participant(s) will be able to...
Define, compare, and contrast antibiotic resistance (ABR) and antibiotic stewardship (AS).
Discuss the inter-professional nature of antibiotic stewardship (AS) teams and outline the various roles neonatal caretakers can take on.
Describe one intervention the learner can personally implement upon return to their home hospital to affect antibiotic stewardship (AS).

CE Credit Information:

Participants can earn 1 CE credit and 1 pharmacology credit for viewing the presentation and completing the evaluation.

The National Association of Neonatal Nurses is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

This is a gripping and mysterious case study that begins with the premature birth of Baby C at 31 weeks and 6 days. What initially appeared to be a stable NICU course quickly unraveled into a complex clinical puzzle, as signs of liver failure emerged without a clear cause. A multidisciplinary team launched an urgent and expansive investigation, chasing down leads from metabolic disorders to rare infections. As the infant’s condition worsened—marked by seizures, cardiac arrhythmias, and coagulopathy—the mystery deepened, and time was running out. Unexpected test results cracked open the case, revealing a stealthy viral culprit and prompting a bold, compassionate-use treatment with an investigational antiviral. This case invites viewers to follow the twists and turns of a high-stakes diagnostic journey where every clue mattered, and the outcome hung in the balance.

Learning Outcomes:
Describe the aspects of a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation for a neonate with liver failure of unknown origin.
Identify the prevalence, possible presentation, and potential sequelae of the disease process that will be revealed in the case.
Explore potential options for supportive care and treatment for the disease process highlighted in the case.

CE Credit Information:

Participants can earn 1 CE credit for viewing the presentation and completing the evaluation.

The National Association of Neonatal Nurses is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Due to prematurity and critical illness, over 90% of infants admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICU) will require placement of orogastric/nasogastric feeding tubes (FTs) and will continue to require FTs for weeks to months. Both FT insertion and placement verification in the NICU is often performed using non-evidence based methods and confusion exists regarding the evidence behind both methods of insertion and verification. Use of non-evidenced based methods increases the risk of malpositioning which is known to cause serious and potentially life-threatening complications. Furthermore, the length of time FTs remain in place may increase the number of potentially pathogenic bacteria present in the FT lumen, potentially increasing the risk of adverse health outcomes. Yet protocols regarding FT dwell time are often not evidence based. These clinical dilemmas not only affect the everyday work life of clinical nurses but the outcomes of using non-evidence-based practices can affect infants and their families for years to come. This session will discuss these clinical dilemmas and their significance in the context of what we know, what we do not know, and what we need to know. In addition, concepts of de-implementation science and changing practice will be presented.

Learning Outcomes:
Articulate evidence-based and non- evidence-based feeding tube verification methods.
Articulate the evidence related to the nose-ear- midumbilicus (NEMU) feeding tube measurement technique versus other measurement methods.
Explain the evidence related to the frequency of routine feeding tube replacement.
Identify how to implement feeding tube best practices in the NICU.

CE Credit Information:

Participants can earn 1 CE credit for viewing the presentation and completing the evaluation.

The National Association of Neonatal Nurses is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Explore the evolving landscape of surfactant delivery with a focus on patient-centered care. This session introduces three minimally invasive techniques—LISA (Less Invasive Surfactant Administration), aerosolized surfactant, and SALSA (Surfactant Administration through Laryngeal or Supraglottic Airways)—through engaging video demonstrations and expert-led discussion. Led by an internationally experienced educator and current study chair on aerosol delivery, this session equips clinicians with the knowledge and skills to tailor surfactant administration to individual patient needs and prepare for the future of neonatal respiratory care.

Learning Outcomes:
Review and compare the current methods to deliver surfactant in a minimally invasive way: LISA, aerosol, and SALSA.
Identify which techniques might be best for the needs of your patients.
Obtain the skills needed through videos and a discussion of the techniques so minimally invasive surfactant administration can be implemented in your practice.

CE Credit Information:

Participants can earn 1 CE credit for viewing the presentation and completing the evaluation.

The National Association of Neonatal Nurses is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

This presentation will provide an overview of the rich history of the Neonatal Resuscitation Program, including conception, evolution, and impacts of the program for staff, patients, families, and society. We will especially focus on the importance of evolution of knowledge in neonatal resuscitation, encouraging neonatal staff to seek to understand the science behind NRP skills, to question unsupported practices, and to relentlessly search for ways to improve outcomes. We will present the processes and science behind several recent changes to the NRP, as well as some intriguing areas of ongoing research, and specific studies and trials to watch for. Nurses and others who work with newly born patients will come away inspired by the progress that has been facilitated NRP practices and how they can personally contribute to further evolution and understanding. It is their bedside observations, participation in studies and process improvements, and their unrelenting passion to make a difference that are significant factors to improve outcomes. Such things are a privilege and a responsibility. Neonatal staff really do hold the future in their hands.

Learning Outcomes:
Examine the history of the Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)
Describe how emerging science and ongoing research influence NRP changes
Recognize barriers to practice change in their own setting and how they may be overcome
Describe 3 areas of ongoing research in neonatal resuscitation
Identify how they can contribute to the growing body of neonatal resuscitation knowledge

CE Credit Information:

Participants can earn 1 CE credit for viewing the presentation and completing the evaluation.

The National Association of Neonatal Nurses is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.