Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
Activity description
The prevalence of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), a withdrawal syndrome occurring in newborns exposed in utero to addictive drugs such as opioids, has increased significantly in recent years. NAS can lead to long-term developmental and behavioral problems and causes a range of symptoms that include tremors, excessive crying, poor feeding and respiratory distress; thus, early identification and treatment are crucial to minimize complications. This activity will review substances that can cause NAS and describe common presentations of NAS as well as neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS). Treatment options, including pharmacologic interventions such as opioid replacement therapy and non-pharmacologic interventions such as supportive care and environmental modifications, will be discussed.
Provided by
This activity is jointly provided by Optum Health Education and Optum Health Solutions.
Commercial support
There was no commercial support received for this activity.
Required hardware/software
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Target Audience
This activity is designed to meet the educational needs of nurses, nurse practitioners, PAs and physicians who have an interest in neonatal abstinence syndrome.
Learning Objectives
At the end of this educational activity, participants should be able to:
- Define NAS and NOWS and describe the historical timeline of these conditions.
- Identify common substances (illicit and non-illicit) that cause withdrawal or withdrawal-type symptoms in newborns.
- Describe the common symptoms of neonatal withdrawal and typical timing of presentation according to substance.
- Discuss the current treatment options for NAS, including medications and the Eat, Sleep, Console (ESC) approach.
Presenter
Monica Hajdena-Dawson, MD, FAAP
National Medical Director, Neonatal Resource Services | Optum Health Solutions
Activity planner
Elizabeth Albert, MD
Clinical Activity Manager
Optum Health Education
Disclosures of relevant financial relationships
In accordance with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education's (ACCME) Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, Optum Health Education (OHE) requires all those in control of educational content to disclose their financial relationships with ineligible companies within the prior 24 months. Ineligible companies are defined by the ACCME as companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing health care products used by or on patients. Individuals must disclose all financial relationships, regardless of the amount, with ineligible companies and regardless of their view of the relevance of the relationship to the education. OHE ensures that the content is independent of commercial bias.
The activity faculty or planners have no financial relationships to disclose.
Method for calculating CE credit
CE credit was calculated by the complexity of content.
Accreditation statement
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by Optum Health Education and Optum Health Solutions. Optum Health Education is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Credit designation statements
Physicians
Optum Health Education designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
PAs
The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME.
Nurses
The participant will be awarded up to 1.0 contact hour(s) of credit for attendance and completion of supplemental materials.
Nurse practitioners
The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME and ANCC.
Attendance
A certificate of attendance will be provided to learners upon completion of activity requirements, enabling participants to register with licensing boards or associations that have not been pre-approved for credits. To apply for credit types not listed above, participants should use the procedure established by the specific organization with which they wish to obtain credit.
Available Credit
- 1.00 AMA - Physicians
- 1.00 ANCC - Nurses
- 1.00 Attendance - General Attendance
You must be logged into your account to participate in this activity. Get started by choosing Register or Continue and clicking "Start" under “Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome”; then follow the prompts at the bottom of the screen. At the end of the activity, you will be able to view, save or print your certificate of participation. A complete listing of all of your activities can be found under “My Account,” “My Activities.”