Merge™ for Health Systems

Tools and Strategies to Integrate Families in Neonatal Care

• Actionable and adaptable model of family integrated care with tools and strategies for all healthcare providers
• Healthcare providers complete online modules to strengthen relational communications, parent education, and psychosocial support
• Practical tools support healthcare providers to strengthen family integrated care practices

Evidence Based

• Reduced parental stress
• Increased parenting confidence
• Reduced infant hospital length of stay by 2.55 days
• Avoided costs for the health system

Implementation Support

• Our experts conduct a baseline assessment to evaluate local context and assess current gaps to practice of Merge™
• Consultation to inform sequence of implementation and options for customization

Interactive Training

• Two levels of eLearning for healthcare providers; modules for unit clerks
• Embed eLearning in your organization’s learning management system for quick access using single sign on

What’s in it for staff?

• Providers earn Continuing Nurse Education or Maintenance of Competency credits (MOC; RCPSC members)
• Continuing professional development

Quarterly Fidelity identify opportunities to strengthen Merge™ practices

• Fidelity assessments support sustainability and return on investment
  

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2. Wasylak, T., Benzies, K. M., McNeil, D., Zanoni, P., Osiowy, K., Mullie, T., & Chuck, A. (2023). Creating value through learning health systems: The Alberta Strategic Clinical Network™ experience. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 47(1), 20-30. https://doi.org/10.1097/NAQ.0000000000000552 
3. Brockway, M., *McLeod, S., Kurilova, J., Fenton, T., Duffett-Leger, L., & Benzies, K. M. (2022). Breastfeeding self-efficacy predicts breastfeeding in moderate and late preterm infants. Nursing Open, 10, 1863-1870. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1450  
4. *Shafey, A., Benzies, K., Amin, R., Stelfox, H. T., & Shah, V. (2022). Fathers’ experiences in Alberta Family Integrated Care: A qualitative study. Journal of Perinatal and Neonatal Nursing, 36(4), 371-379. https://doi.org/10.1097/JPN.0000000000000684
5. *Ringham, C., McNeil, D., & Benzies, K. M. (2022). The work of mothering in the NICU: A critical analysis of Alberta Family Integrated Care parent journals. Advances in Neonatal Care, 22(4), E112-E119. https://doi.org/10.1097/ANC.0000000000000984
6. *Dien, R., Benzies, K. M., Zanoni, P., & Kurilova, J. (2022). Alberta Family Integrated Care™ and standard care: A qualitative study of mothers’ experiences of their journeying to home from the neonatal intensive care unit. Global Journal of Qualitative Research, 9, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1177/23333936221097113
7. *Moe, A., Kurilova, J., Afzal, A., & Benzies, K. M. (2022). Effects of Alberta Family Integrated Care (FICare) on preterm infant development: Two studies at 2 months and between 6 and 24 months corrected age. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 11, 1684. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11061684
8. *Murphy, M., Shah, V., & Benzies, K. M. (2021). Effectiveness of Alberta Family Integrated Care on Neonatal Outcomes: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 10, 5871. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10245871
9. Zanoni, P., *Scime, N. V., Benzies, K. M., McNeil, D. A., Mrklas, K. (2021). Facilitators and barriers to implementation of Alberta Family Integrated Care (FICare) in Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU): A qualitative process evaluation sub-study of a multi-centre cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT) using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). BMJ Open, 11, e054938.https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-054938
10. McNeil, D.A., Benzies, K. M., Zanoni, P., Kurilova. J. (2021). Alberta Family Integrated Care (FICare)™: From engaged clinicians in a cluster randomized controlled trial to health system partnership in scale and spread across a province. In: McCutcheon C, Reszel J, Kothari A, Graham ID, editors. How We Work Together: The Integrated Knowledge Translation Research Network Casebook. Volume 4, 16-19. Ottawa, ON: Integrated Knowledge Translation Research Network. Available from: https://iktrn.ohri.ca/projects/casebook/
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