Neonatal Clinical Nurse Specialist in Improving Neonatal Care through Outreach to Referral Hospitals

In the United States, the majority of babies are born at community hospitals that have a limited ability to care for premature or ill neonates. Regionalization was developed in the early 1970's in an effort to improve the outcomes of these neonates and pregnant women. Hospitals were designated a level of care based on their resources and capability to care for the premature or ill neonates and pregnant women. The highest level of care is the regional center. A requirement of these centers is to provide outreach education and initiatives to the referral hospitals in their referral area. The perinatal/neonatal clinical nurse specialist working in regional centers is an ideal position to lead the hospital outreach initiative to improve the care of neonates and pregnant women in the referral area.