title: Analysis of the factors that influence the Finnegan Neonatal Abstinence Scoring System.
abstract: To evaluate factors that can influence the Finnegan Neonatal Abstinence Score (FNAS).
  
  
  
  Retrospective analysis of 367 patients admitted to two level IV neonatal intensive care units. Linear mixed effects models were developed to evaluate daily census, time of the day, and day of the week as fixed effect predictors. The degree of influence that nurses had on FNAS variability was also estimated.
  
  
  
  Bivariate analyses showed that daily census and the time of day have significant influence on the FNAS in institution 1, with minimal clinical significance. The proportion of variation in the FNAS attributable to differences in nurses was of 9.8% and 5.1% for institutions 1 and 2, respectively (P<0.0001).
  
  
  
  The minimal influences of extraneous factors on the FNAS support the clinical utility of the scoring system in the assessment and management of infants with Neonatal Abstinence Score.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Kentucky, Lexinton, KY, USA.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gomez-Pomar
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexinton, KY, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Christian
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Devlin
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Kentucky, Lexinton, KY, USA.
authors.forename: K T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Ibonia
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Kentucky, Lexinton, KY, USA.
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Concina
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Kentucky, Lexinton, KY, USA.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bada
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, Lexinton, KY, USA.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Westgate
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000009:adverse effects; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000458:organization & administration; D007629:Kentucky; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009357:Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000451:nursing*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid