title: Multidisciplinary discharge assessment of the medically and socially high-risk infant.
abstract: Discharge from a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) requires assessment, coordination, and possible intervention by a multidisciplinary team. The infant's health condition and the family's social situation must be considered before discharge to design a discharge plan for the child's long-term well-being. This article presents the neonatal discharge assessment tool (N-DAT) as a method to identify risks at the time of discharge. The tool offers specific recommendations for use with infants who are medically or socially high risk. The implications for the NICU team and for coordination with community providers are discussed.
authors.affiliation: High Risk Infant Follow-up Program, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Robison
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pirak
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morrell
mesh_terms: D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D020380:Needs Assessment; D017283:Neonatal Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D015997:Neonatal Screening / Q000379:methods; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D010351:Patient Discharge; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support