QI Toolkit

The Delivery Room Management Toolkit provides guidelines for the management of all infants requiring resuscitation following delivery, especially those that are very low birth weight. The smallest and most immature infants have unique requirements to ensure an effective transition from fetal to extrauterine life. These infants have immature organ systems, and without appropriate preparation and intervention can develop severe degrees of hypothermia and respiratory failure that can significantly increase mortality and morbidity.

The Postnatal Steroid Administration Toolkit lays out best practices for decreasing chronic lung disease among VLBW infants. Rather than promoting adoption of a specific clinical practice, the Postnatal Steroid Administration Toolkit advocates for abandoning the use of postnatal steroids for treatment of chronic lung disease and hypotension in neonates. Postnatal steroids have been found to have significant effects on pulmonary and cardiovascular status, multiple acute side effects, and the potential for serious adverse effects on long-term outcomes.

VON’s Improving Discharge Management QI Toolkit describes five “potentially better practices” (PBPs) to improve the neonatal discharge process as well as, for each PBP, an aim, a measure, a list of suggested changes, and tips and tools for implementing changes that include potential barriers to implementation. The toolkit is based on the framework of the “Model for Improvement,” which was first developed by Associates for Process Improvement based on the teachings of W. Edwards Deming.