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NMH | 2024 45 Neonatology for curriculum development for the post-graduate diploma in Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing alongside in- house committees including drugs and therapeutics and blood transfusion. The ANP is actively involved in the development of neonatal policies and presented at a number of academic lectures nationally and locally. A further candidate ANP (Neonatology) post was approved through NWIHP, the successful applicant Ms Linda Smiles commenced the role in late 2024. Neonatal Discharge Planning (Caroline McCafferty & Ciara Murphy) The Neonatal Discharge Planning service continues to play a vital part in the care of the high risk infant and family in the Neonatal Unit by streamlining each infant's discharge. This has been achieved by supporting and building a rapport with the family from admission until discharge and thereafter. The service offers support to parents as well as anticipating their needs pre and post discharge home. The Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) collaborates early with the multidisciplinary team (MDT) and Community Support Services so that the best possible support is made available to the high risk infant and their family while an inpatient and post discharge home. The service is represented on the Prime B – Breastfeeding and Infant Mental Health hospital committees and substance use working group. Caseload & Activity High risk infants include all preterm infants with birth weight <1500g or <32 weeks gestational age, infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, complex social admissions, life-shortening Illnesses, those requiring palliative care as well as infants with congenital abnormalities and brain injury. Total discharges involving CNS: 233 Discharged home tube feeding: 2 Training and Education Staff are continually updated and advised regarding changes to discharge policies and procedures. Students, midwives, NCHD's, Allied Health Professionals and Student Public Health Nurses are also updated by the CNS. Education and Information A Basic Life Support class and preparing for home class is regularly provided and also available online for families and carers of high risk infants and also on 1:1 basis. • Follow up calls are made to parents following their infant's discharge providing advice and support to families. • Continues to be the link person with the HSE appointed Northgate Hearing Screening Service that provide a national hearing screening programme for all infants. • Chairs the Inter Hospital Neonatal Clinical Nurse Specialist Group • Involved in Quality Improvement Initiative in safe sleep practices in NICU. • Conducted audit on safe sleep practices in NICU and collaborating with MDT to improve these practices. • Initiating and attending MDT meetings for vulnerable babies and their families. • Hosting a PHN Community Discharge Information sharing Day in May 2025 Dr Deirdre Sweetman, Consultant Neonatologist. Prof Shane Higgins, Master, Dr Deirdre Sweetman, Consultant Neonatologist and NICU Director, Cllr James Geoghegan, Lord Mayor of Dublin when he visited the Hospital during the year.