A midwifery-led newborn discharge pathway: an effective and innovative way of workforce management

Midwifery-led newborn discharge (MLND) is an effective way of reducing the length of hospital stay for well babies on IV antibiotics for suspected infection. A comprehensive protocol for MLND was designed and implemented on the postnatal ward following midwifery training in newborn discharge. Data were collected on the timings of chasing blood cultures and discharge from the time of starting antibiotics. The MLND pathway reduced the length of stay on the postnatal ward by 18.5 hours.

Anoop Pahuja
Neonatal Consultant

Garima Mishra
Neonatal Registrar

Luke Mills
Neonatal Consultant

Walton D’costa
Neonatal Consultant

Dilpreet Kaur
Paediatric Consultant

Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust

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Keywords

midwifery-led discharge; neonatal; postnatal ward; length of stay; cost-effectiveness

Key points

A midwifery-led discharge pathway is an innovative approach to improving patient flow and reducing the length of neonatal stay.
A comprehensive protocol for midwifery-led care of well babies on IV antibiotics for suspected infection is presented. This will enable other units to develop their MLND pathway.

Also published in Infant:

VOLUME 14/ISSUE 5, SEPTEMBER 2018

Estimating length of stay for very preterm babies

Estimating neonatal length of stay has received limited attention in the past. Anecdotally parents are told that their baby will be discharged home ‘around their due date’ but there is no evidence to suggest this is an accurate estimate. This article provides length of stay estimates by week of gestational age for very preterm babies. Information about likely length of stay, complemented by clinical knowledge and alongside information about the risk of mortality, is important and useful for counselling parents and preparing them for their baby’s discharge.