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Objective: This project explored the impact of staff training on the rates of perinatal maternal and neonatal illicit drug testing., Methods: Controlled, retrospective chart review on 1186 newborn and mother dyads from 2006 (pre-training control group) and on 1861 dyads from 2009 (post-training study group) was completed. Differences between rates of infant and mother drug testing were compared., Results: Increased drug testing rates for the mothers and infants led to increased case finding that tripled both for the mothers (13-3.7%, p < 0.001) and for the infants (0.9-2.9%, p < 0.001). Missed opportunities for newborn testing was reduced by 35 times (20.9-0.6%, p < 0.001)., Conclusion: This retrospective study led to an increase in the number of documented drug-exposed newborns. This research emphasizes the importance of and encourages other hospitals to analyze the efficacy of their current protocol and staff training practices in place to ensure the best child protection services.

Objective: To determine staff compliance with the hospital perinatal illicit drug screening-intervention and the prevalence of dyads that are not tested who present with risk factors indicating the need for testing., Methods: This is a retrospective, controlled chart review of mother/newborn dyads presenting to a university hospital for delivery services in 2002 and 2003. Group 1 included all dyads, in which the newborns were tested for illegal drugs after delivery (n = 121). Group 2 included every 25th delivery that did not qualify for Group 1 (n = 107). The documentation rate of demographic characteristics and risk factors were compared., Results: Multiple risk factors were documented in 95.9% of the Group 1 dyads and 32.7% of the Group 2 dyads (p < 0.0001). However, 50 mothers in Group 2 with risk factors, eligible for urine drug testing were not tested. In Group 2, 35.5% of newborns were eligible for drug testing, but were not tested. Twelve infants were not tested when their mothers were tested and two infants were not tested when their mothers tested positive during the study period., Conclusion: The data in the present study revealed the necessity of a staff-training program and the revision of the hospital perinatal illicit drug screening practices- intervention.