Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program
Dr. Juzer Tyebkhan, Neonatologist and NIDCAP Trainer
Overview
NIDCAP, the Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program, guides the care of infants in the NICU through neurobehavioural observation to promote an optimal trajectory for ongoing brain development. The Edmonton NIDCAP Training Centre Canada opened in September 2017 and is the only such centre in Canada.
The Edmonton RCT of NIDCAP (Peters et al, in Pediatrics 2009; 124:1009) showed that infants who received NIDCAP-based care had shorter lengths of stay in hospital, less chronic lung disease, and were less likely to have cognitive delays when seen at follow-up. The Northern Alberta Neonatal Program’s goal is NIDCAP based-care at all Edmonton-area NICUs / ICNs.
All NPM trainees in the Edmonton Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Program learn the core concepts of neurobehavioural development of the preterm infant and the principles of NIDCAP-based care. Trainees also have the opportunity to obtain additional training and certification in NIDCAP during their subspecialty training. This additional training is also available to clinicians who have completed core clinical training in Neonatology (12 months minimum), at centres other than Edmonton.
Clinical training experience
Completion of FINE (Family and Infant Neurodevelopmental Education) levels 1 and 2 are prerequisites, ideally can be completed prior to starting a NIDCAP fellowship; please contact pedsneo@ualberta.ca for information on FINE 1 and 2
12 months are usually required for NIDCAP certification, following FINE 1 and 2 completion
Didactic instruction in Neurodevelopment, Synactive Theory and Neurobehavioural Observation.
Bedside NIDCAP training in Neurobehavioural Observation with NIDCAP trainer.
The trainee will do independent neurobehavioural observations of infants in the NICU, to become proficient in the interpretation of infant behaviour and writing of reports that guide caregiving.
Towards the end of the training, the trainee will complete a NIDCAP Advanced Practicum (AP), when the trainee will perform serial neurobehavioural observations of one infant from admission to discharge home. They will lead the clinical care team in relationship-based, behaviour guided care. The AP must be satisfactorily completed before Reliability Testing, which is the final step of Certification as a NIDCAP Professional.
Research experience
Scholarly project
Trainees will complete at least one scholarly project related to NIDCAP during their training. The trainee is expected to present this work at national/international meetings and/or at the NIDCAP Trainer’s Conference held annually.
Teaching experience
The Edmonton NIDCAP Training Centre Canada conducts regular workshops for the FINE (Family and Infant Neurodevelopmental Education) program, (Warren I, in Infant 2017; 13:200). NIDCAP trainees are expected to participate as instructors at FINE workshops. There are other opportunities for teaching activities including weekly academic NICU Rounds. There may be opportunities to train in APIB (Assessment of Preterm Infant Behaviour: Als et al, Infant Behav Dev 1988; 11:319) and for collaboration with the Neonatal and Infant Follow Up Clinic.