Nursing Care of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

Mackenzie Hawk, Emily Hakes, Emily Learn, Ashley Walton, Megan Baril

Introduction (font size 44) Research Question Conclusion

While researching Neonatal Abstinence
Syndrome, ten articles of scholarly publication
we picked through the CINAHL, using the
university’s library website. All of the
publications were analyzed. Methods that
were evaluated included Buprenorphine,
Morphine, acupuncture, reflexology, bonding,
breastfeeding, and several other non-
pharmacological treatments.
Background/ Significance to Nsg
With the opioid epidemic
increasing in the United States,
especially in Northeast Ohio,
nurses need to be aware of the
In babies with Neonatal Abstinence
Syndrome, how does In summation, more data is needed to come
nonpharmacological treatment options to a more appropriate and canonical
versus current pharmacological conclusion, especially when the
treatments affect the babies during standardization of care is still being laid out.
their hospital stays and early The issue with NAS is ever-growing and
childhood? each source covers different children who
Outline photos are surrounded by different factors in which
using Format they are affected by. The findings in this
Picture > Line > paper may be too broad to come to one
Color – so they
conclusive answer. Research in the future
stand out crisper
will have to be more focused on the long-
term health outcomes for these children and
must have a more narrowed approach to the
knowledge and data collected to ensure valid
answers. 
References
Summary of Research Findings
Bishop, B. M. (2018). Buprenorphine for the Treatment of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. Journal of
Pharmacy Technology, 34(6), 266–272. doi: 10.1177/8755122518788535

various treatment modalities for Pharmacological:

infants suffering from the effects of
in utero opioid exposure.
•
This is the key intervention for managing symptom control
Buprenorphine appears as safe as oral morphine and methadone and infants receiving the
therapy had a lower length of hospital stay.
Edwards, L., & Brown, L. F. (2016). Nonpharmacologic Management of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome:
An Integrative Review. Neonatal Network, 35(5), 305–313. doi: 10.1891/0730-0832.35.5.305
Grisham, L. M., Stephen, M. M., Coykendall, M. R., Kane, M. F., Maurer, J. A., & Bader, M. Y. (2019). Eat,
Sleep, Console Approach. Advances in Neonatal Care, 19(2), 138–144. doi:
10.1097/anc.0000000000000581

• Methadone treatment infants required fewer medication adjustments, and while receiving this
therapy experienced less seizures than morphine therapy infants.
• Kondili, E., & Duryea, D. G. (2019). The role of mother-infant bond in neonatal abstinence syndrome
Nonpharmacological:
This treatment is the basis for infants who score as symptomatically withdrawing while in
utero.
• Infants scored with the Eat, Sleep, Console model had a reduced length of stay from 22.4 to
5.9 days, and the use of morphine decreased from 98% to 14%.
• The use of acupuncture was just as effective in neonates and increased weight gain,
decreased pain level and response to pain, had improved breastfeeding, and were less
agitated.
• Auricular seed acupuncture and foot reflexology lowered NAS scores and decreased the
symptoms.
• Breastfeeding has shown to significantly decreased the use of pharmacological treatments
and shortened the duration of NAS. Skin-to-skin contact improved autonomic nervous system
functions, lowered withdrawal symptoms, and increased the amount of sleep.
Jackson, H. J., López, C., Miller, S., & Englehardt, B. (2019). Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. Advances
in Neonatal Care, 19(3), 165–178. doi: 10.1097/anc.0000000000000630
 
(NAS) management. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 33(3), 267–274. doi: 10.1016/j.apnu.2019.02.003
To change the background of the
Mangat, A., Schmölzer, G., & Kraft, W. (2019). Pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for
the Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS). Seminars in Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, 24(2), 133–141.
poster:
doi: 10.1016/j.siny.2019.01.009
Mcqueen, K., Taylor, C., & Murphy-Oikonen, J. (2019). Systematic Review of Newborn Feeding Method
and Outcomes Related to Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal
Right click on the background, select Format
Nursing, 48(4), 398–407. doi: 10.1016/j.jogn.2019.03.004
Background to change the color.
Sajadi, S., Kazemi, M., Bakhtar, B., & Ostadebrahimi, H. (2019). Comparing the effects of auricular seed
acupressure and foot reflexology on neonatal abstinence syndrome: A modified double blind clinical
trial. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 36, 72–76. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2019.06.002
Tolia, V. N., Murthy, K., Bennett, M. M., Greenberg, R. G., Benjamin, D. K., Smith, P. B., & Clark, R. H.
(2018). Morphine vs Methadone Treatment for Infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. The Journal
of Pediatrics, 203, 185–189. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2018.07.061
Whalen, B. L., Holmes, A. V., & Blythe, S. (2019). Models of care for neonatal abstinence syndrome:
What works? Seminars in Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, 24(2), 121–132. doi: 10.1016/j.siny.2019.01.004

Bitonte College of Health and Human Services Department of Nursing