Targeted Neonatal Echocardiography Performed by Nurse Practitioners in the NICU: Attitudes and Perceptions of the Healthcare Team.

Background: Targeted neonatal echocardiography (TNE) and hemodynamic consultation have typically been performed by physicians. The Stollery Children's Hospital neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) expanded their TNE training program to include neonatal nurse practitioners (NNPs), the first in North America.

Purpose: This study examines the thoughts and perceptions of clinicians about the incorporation of NNPs providing TNE and hemodynamic consultation and investigates key facilitators and challenges for consideration when planning future training, expansion of service in Edmonton, or beyond.

Effectiveness of Alberta Family Integrated Care on infant length of stay in level II neonatal intensive care units: a cluster randomized controlled trial.

Background: Parents of infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) are often unintentionally marginalized in pursuit of optimal clinical care. Family Integrated Care (FICare) was developed to support families as part of their infants' care team in level III NICUs. We adapted the model for level II NICUs in Alberta, Canada, and evaluated whether the new Alberta FICare™ model decreased hospital length of stay (LOS) in preterm infants without concomitant increases in readmissions and emergency department visits.

Correction to: Family Integrated Care (FICare) in Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Units: study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial.

After publication of our article [1], the authors have reported mathematical errors made in the sample size calculation for this cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT) (Benzies et al. 2017).

Family Integrated Care (FICare) in Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Units: study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial.

Background: Every year, about 15 million of the world's infants are born preterm (before 37 weeks gestation). In Alberta, the preterm birth rate was 8.7% in 2015, the second highest among Canadian provinces.