Changing the inpatient care experience to support high-risk newborn development

Early experience, including that of intermediate and intensive hospital care, affects the physiological and developmental outcomes of high-risk newborns. The provision of care based on the Newborn Individualised Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP) has been shown to improve short- and long-term outcomes. Translating this research-based, comprehensive programme into practice can be challenging. A collaborative, interdisciplinary quality improvement strategy guided by a content expert can provide the framework to transform the care experience from traditional, healthcare-professional centred, task-directed care to holistic, individualised, relationship-based care.