Figure 1. NAS webinar learning objectives
Webinar participants will be able to:
• Identify opioids and substances most often abused in Pennsylva-
nia
• Recognize differences between substance abuse, prescribed ad-
diction medication, and replacements.
• Describe the RN’s role in preventing substance abuse
• Recommend resources to pregnant women and mothers who
abuse opioids and other substances in Pennsylvania
• Apply their knowledge to identify physical and mental effects of
parental opioid abuse on children
• Discuss the signs and symptoms of NAS
• Outline the role of RNs in treating NAS
and piloting surveys for birthing
hospitals to understand current
state practices and recommending
universal screening of neonates.
PSNA Webinar Series
The authors understood that a
knowledge gap exists in nursing
about parental substance abuse
and NAS. This prompted them
to create a 2017 webinar series
for PSNA’s Continuing Education
Center (ce.psna.org). Education
included NAS, substance abuse,
and professional nursing’s respon-
sibility for mandated reporting of
abuse to ChildLine.
See Figure 1 for a list of the webi-
nar’s educational objectives.
Knowledge Deficits
Every day, RNs provide patient
care to individuals affected by
the opioid epidemic. RNs at the
bedside and in the community
can prevent substance abuse. In a
research study on the role of RNs
in patient education, Costello and
Thompson (2015) interviewed
331 RNs from two large medical
centers in Boston, Massachusetts.
The study asked RNs about their
knowledge and attitude toward
opioids. The researchers utilized
an online survey to complete the
study.
Among the surv