About the Guidelines and Recommendations
"Our goal is to create recommendations that are both general and adaptable - while also being specific and actionable."
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The foundation for these recommendations is based on existing literature, practice, available policy statements, and the lived experiences of families and providers
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Our hope is that the guidance, tools, and resources you find here will empower you - and the NICU families you serve.
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While these guidelines are based in our experience, they are not representative of all experiences. We'd love to hear what you're doing in your communities to improve the transition from NICU to home - and we invite you to share your best ideas and favorite resources with us.
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We believe that by working together, we can improve neonatal outcomes and build more supportive communities.
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Thank you for everything you do for NICU families.
- Vincent C. Smith, MD, MPH
Using the Guidelines and Recommendations
Our Guidelines and Recommendations for NICU Discharge Preparation and Transition Planning are divided into the following sections:
It is impossible to create a comprehensive discharge preparation and transition planning program that will work for every family in every NICU setting. Rather, what we propose are guidelines and recommendations that focus on content and process.
We strived to create recommendations that are both general and adaptable while also being specific and actionable. Each NICU’s implementation of this guidance will be dependent on the unique makeup and skills of their team, as well as the availability of local programs and resources.
The foundation for these recommendations is based on existing literature, practice, and available policy statements.
While there may not be supporting references for some of these recommendations, all of the recommendations are based on expert opinion and consensus and the readers are requested to note this issue while adapting them into their practices, if they choose to. The recommendations based only on expert opinion could be topics for future research.
We invite you to contribute to this important work!
