A conference for health care professionals, researchers, graduate and medical students, and families focusing on issues related to premature birth. Topics will address, Prematurity Prevention, the NICU Experience, Neonatal Ethics, and a Premature Infant’s First Year of Life.

Friday, Nov. 10, 2006
8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Virginia Commonwealth University
907 Floyd Avenue, Second floor
Richmond, Virginia 23284

Schedule and agenda

8:30 – 9 a.m.	Registration and continental breakfast
9 – 9:15 a.m.	Welcoming remarks: The Honorable Timothy Kaine, Governor of the commonwealth of Virginia
	Conference overview [PowerPoint] Marilyn Stern, Ph.D., VCU Professor, Departments of Psychology and Pediatrics
9:15 – 10:30 a.m.	Session I: The NICU Experience

• “Being a Baby in the NICU” Rita Pickler, Ph.D., R.N., PNP, Professor and Chair, Department of Maternal Child Nursing, VCU
  
  Dr. Rita Pickler
  Virginia Commonwealth University
  P.O. Box 980567
  Richmond, Virginia 23284
  Phone: (804) 828-0721
  E-mail: rpickler@vcu.edu

• “A Parent’s Perspective”
   Michelle Flynn, LCSW; MOD Virginia Chapter Prematurity Chair.

10:30 – 10:45 a.m.	Break
10:45 – noon	Session II: A Premature Infant’s First Year

• “Maternal Expectations and Perceptions of Vulnerability: Effects Through the First Year of Life” [PowerPoint]
  Marilyn Stern, Ph.D., VCU Professor, Departments of Psychology and Pediatrics
  
  Dr. Marilyn Stern
  Virginia Commonwealth University
  P.O. Box 842018
  Richmond, Virginia 23284
  Phone: (804) 827-0400
  E-mail: mstern@vcu.edu

• “NICU Discharge Recommendations to Support Premature Infant Motor Development [PowerPoint]
  Stacey Dusing, PT, Ph.D., Assistant professor, Department of Physical Therapy, VCU; faculty VA-LEND
  
  Dr. Stacey Dusing
  Virginia Commonwealth University
  P.O. Box 980224
  Richmond, Virginia 23284
  E-mail: scdusing@vcu.edu
  

Noon – 1 p.m.	Lunch
1 – 2:15 p.m.	Session III: Preventing Premature Birth

• “Genetics and Prematurity” [PowerPoint]
  Joann Bodurtha, M.D., MPH, Director of Clinical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, VCU
  
  Dr. Joanne Bodurtha
  Virginia Commonwealth University
  P.O. Box 980033
  Richmond, Virginia 23284
  Phone: (804) 828-9632
  E-mail: jbodurtha@mcvh-vcu.edu

• “Maternal and Newborn Effects of Prenatal Substance Abuse” [PowerPoint]
  Michael Weaver, M.D., Assistant professor, Departments of Internal/General Medicine, and Primary Care and Psychiatry; Director of the Addiction Medicine Fellowship Program, VCU
  
  Dr. Michael Weaver
  Virginia Commonwealth University
  P.O. Box 980109
  Richmond, Virginia 23284
  Phone: (804) 828-1238
  E-mail: mweaver@mcvh-vcu.edu

• “Health Disparities and Premature Birth”
  Michelle Martel, MD, Practitioner Obstetrics and Gynecology, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Québec, Canada.

2:15 – 2:30 p.m.	Break
2:30 – 3 p.m.	Session IV: Ethics Presentation

• “Ethics Dilemmas in the NICU” [PowerPoint]
  Robert Boyle, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics, faculty, Center for
  Biomedical Ethics, UVA Health Systems
  
  Dr. Robert Boyle
  UVA Health Sciences Center
  P.O. Box 800758
  Charlottesville, Virginia  22908
  Phone: (434) 924-5429
  E-mail: rjb6j@virginia.edu
  

3 – 3:30 p.m.

Wrap up and closing remarks

• “Where do we go from Here?”
  Videotaped presentation by Jerome Strauss, MD, Dean of the VCU School of Medicine.

Learning objectives

At the end of this seminar, the participant will be able to:

1. State the short and long term effects of the NICU environment on the preterm infant’s neurobehavioral development.
2. Understand typical movement patterns of premature infants who were born prematurely.
3. Understand the benefits of educating parents on ways to enhance motor development prior to discharge.
4. Describe positioning and handling recommendations to facilitate flexor motor patterns and normal motor development.
5. Describe maternal/fetal effects of illicit drug use during pregnancy and recognize contribution of addiction to prematurity.
6. Describe addiction treatments during pregnancy, including maintenance pharmacotherapy.
7. Describe health disparities related to increased risk of premature labor and delivery.
8. Understand the role of maternal expectations on infant outcomes.

Sponsors

The mission of the March of Dimesis to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. This mission is carried out through research, community services, education and advocacy to save babies’ lives. March of Dimes researchers, volunteers, educators, outreach workers and advocates, work together to give all babies a fighting chance against the threats to their health: prematurity, birth defects and low birth weight.

The VCU Family Support and Research Centerserves to improve the effectiveness of VCU’s family programs by identifying and coordinating resources in a cost-effective manner. The primary role of the FSRC is to strengthen the families of persons with medical challenges and disorders through interdisciplinary research, training and implementation of family support and education programs. Emphasis is placed on meeting the needs of under-served populations.

Disclaimer: The PowerPoint presentations provided on this Web page are the property of the respective presenters and can’t be reproduced without the expressed permission of the presenter. Any reference to information contained within should be accompanied by an appropriate citation.

Conference pictures

Conference coordinators and planners

• Monica Durrette
• Rebecca Foster
• Sara Long
• Rita Pickler
• Marilyn Stern

CE program coordinators

• Barbara Dunn, VCU School of Nursing
• Dawn Scott, Center for Psychological Services and Development

Student volunteers

• Cassie Brode
• Surbhi Kanotra
• Melissa Joiner
• Alison Youmell

For more information on the conference.