Care of Substance-Exposed Infants

Abstract

Many practices related to care of infants exposed to drugs and alcohol during the prenatal period have been developed on an anecdotal basis. There are few available research studies to validate these interventions. This study describes current practices used in daily care, discharge planning, and community support for drug- and alcohol-exposed infants, their families, and alternate caregivers in one country. A survey of Canadian hospitals with annual birth rates of greater than 500 was conducted with a 51% return rate. Variations were noted in the perception of the importance of the issue of perinatal substance use, nursery care, discharge planning, and community support. Nurses are encouraged to consider these results within the context of their own communities to evaluate and develop standards of practice for substance-exposed infants and their families and caregivers.