title: Implementation of the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Role in a Community Hospital's Labor, Delivery, and Level 1 Postpartum Unit.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A level 1 community hospital with a labor, delivery, recovery, and postpartum (LDRP) unit delivering over 2800 babies per year was operating without dedicated neonatal resuscitation and stabilization support.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  With lack of funding and space to provide an onsite level 2 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), a position was created to provide neonatal nurse practitioner (NNP) coverage to support the LDRP unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  The article describes the innovative solution of having an NNP team rotate from a regional neonatal intensive care program to a busy community LDRP unit. The presence of the NNP supported the development and integration of the advanced practice nursing role with interdisciplinary team members in both the LDRP and the emergency department.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The NNP was able to provide expertise, leadership, and mentorship for neonatal resuscitation and stabilization as well as education and consultation on neonatal care. In addition to the services provided by the NNP for infant's requiring acute care, the NNP provided transitional support for those infants who remained with their mothers in the LDRP unit. Furthermore, time required by the neonatal transport team to stabilize babies before transport to the NICU was decreased with NNP presence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The divergence from practice of the traditional NNP clinical role in the NICU setting to more of a consultant and nursing leader has proven to be a valued role at the community hospital.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A solid economic analysis of the cost-effectiveness of the NNP role in this community hospital is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Northern Alberta Neonatal Intensive Care Program, Royal Alexandra Hospital NICU, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Tara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Follett
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Calderon-Crossman
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: Marcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ergezinger
authors.forename: Christene
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Evanochko
authors.forename: Krystal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mercy
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D003696:Delivery Rooms; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000458:organization & administration; D006764:Hospitals, Community / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal; D024802:Nurse's Role; D000072221:Nurses, Neonatal; D010360:Patient Transfer; D064701:Pediatric Nurse Practitioners; D011181:Postnatal Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D012151:Resuscitation; D000078329:Workforce