Neonatal Outreach Program

Welcome to the Neonatal Outreach Program at Kentucky Children’s Hospital. Our program promotes education and provides resources to community hospitals.

Neonatal Outreach ProgramWe provide:

  • State-of-the-art neonatal care and services, including a nationally recognized ECMO program.
  • Consultation in the management of neonatal patients and identification of patients requiring transfer to a higher level of care.
  • Education and training in S.T.A.B.L.E. and NRP programs for neonatal health professionals in the region.
  • Joint reviews of outcomes for patients requiring transfer and identification of opportunities for improvement.
  • Neonatal presentations designed to meet the unique interests and requirements of neonatal health professionals in the region.
  • Follow-up reports to referring physicians on their patients that are receiving care at the Neonatal ICU at Kentucky Children’s Hospital.
  • Multidisciplinary follow-up care for the high-risk neonate in our NICU Graduate Clinic

Our mission is to promote quality care for critically ill and at-risk newborns in Central and Eastern Kentucky through partnership, collaboration and evidence-based educational activities to health care professionals who care for the neonatal population at various community hospitals in Kentucky. 

Our goals are:

  • To educate professional staff regarding comprehensive neonatal care.
  • To assist in developing individualized programs for community hospitals.
  • To optimize communication with referring physicians.

Programs

S.T.A.B.L.E.

The S.T.A.B.L.E. Program is taught in a didactic-interactive format by experts in neonatal nursing, medicine and respiratory care. Any health care provider involved with post-resuscitation and/or pre-transport care of sick newborns would benefit from the program. S.T.A.B.L.E. stands for the six program modules: Sugar and Safe care, Temperature, Airway, Blood Pressure, Lab work and Emotional support for the family.

Cost: Cost of the books, which can be ordered on the S.T.A.B.L.E. program website.  

Contact Kate Fletcher, APRN, at Keunde00@uky.edu or 859-218-4993 for more information about scheduling a class.     

Neonatal Resuscitation Program

This course is designed for health care professionals involved in any aspect of neonatal resuscitation, both those taking NRP for the first time and those renewing. While this course does not guarantee proficiency during an actual resuscitation, it lays the foundation of knowledge, technical skills, teamwork and communication skills that enable participants to continue development of neonatal resuscitation skills.

Participants need to study the Textbook of Neonatal Resuscitation, 6th Edition (or view the DVD that accompanies the textbook) and pass the NRP online examination prior to the course. A printout of the successful online completion must be brought to the course (online testing is to be completed no more than 30 days prior to attending the course). View the Neonatal Resuscitation Program Website.    

Cost: There is a cost for the online test which can be located on the NRP website.

Contact Kate Fletcher, APRN, for more information on scheduling a class at Keunde00@uky.edu or 859-218-4993.  

Neonatal Outreach Simulation Program

This program uses simulation and hands-on training with advanced skills to educate health care professionals about common neonatal scenarios. The program aims to enhance capabilities of health care professionals from level I and level II nurseries, giving them the skills necessary  to resuscitate and stabilize critically ill infants born in rural areas of Kentucky prior to transport to higher level of care.

Topics include:

  • Placement of umbilical venous catheter.
  • Management of respiratory distress syndrome.
  • Prevention of intra-ventricular hemorrhage in tiny babies.
  • Early recognition of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy and the need for cooling.

Cost: Free 

This program is sponsored by the 2015 District Grant from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Section on Perinatal Medicine.

Contact Kate Fletcher, APRN, for more information at Keunde00@uky.edu or 859-218-4993.  

Contact Us

With questions, please contact:

Kate Fletcher, MSN, APRN 
Neonatal Outreach Coordinator, 
Keunde00@uky.edu or 859-218-4993

Physicians

To refer or transfer a patient, or to request a neonatal consultation, call UK-MDs: