Prolacta Bioscience Launches Nursing Practice Advisory Council and Salutes Neonatal Nurses and Nurse Practitioners During National Nurse Week

Prolacta Bioscience, the nation’s leading provider of human milk-based neonatal nutritional products to hospitals, recognizes and honors the clinical expertise, dedication and commitment to care of neonatal nurses during National Nurse Week (May 6-12, 2017) with its support of four nursing conferences and the launch of a national Nursing Practice Advisory Council (NPAC).

Nursing Practice Advisory Council to Share Clinical Expertise, Emerging Research on Human Milk-Based Nutrition

The NPAC is an advisory group composed of neonatal nursing leaders who are passionate about human milk science and nutrition. Their mission is to share clinical expertise and emerging research to affect clinical practice, education and outcomes in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) population. The council will develop and deliver educational resources and support, for the neonatal nurse community and other clinicians, on the use of an exclusive human milk diet (EHMD) and other human milk practices.

Advisory council members include both nurse practitioners and nurse managers, who are recognized nationally or globally as influencers, and who are actively involved in their professional associations. Founding members include:

• Kim Carmignani, MSN, RNC-NIC, nurse leader (Naperville, Il.), is a senior healthcare executive who serves as the clinical director of several pediatric subspecialty clinics. Carmignani has more than 25 years of bedside experience in the NICU, and more than five years of experience as a clinical manager/director.
• Tamyra Rae Hoff, RN, MS, NE-BC, nurse manager (Arlington, TX), has more than 22 years of Level III-C NICU experience, and 16 years of medical center leadership. She serves on multiple medical center committees related to continuous improvement, especially in the NICU.
• Pam Middleton, RN, BSN, MPA, nurse manager (Hayward, Calif.), brings more than 40 years of experience in nursing, including clinical and management roles. She is retired and holds a position at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland.
• Amy Mailand Paradis, NNP, nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist (Modesto, Calif.), is an advanced practice neonatal nurse with 28 years of experience, including 12 years in a Level III NICU medical center. She is a frequent lecturer and a researcher on topics related to neonatal care.

“I’m honored to be involved with the national Nursing Practice Advisory Council, and to serve among an impressive group of nurses and nurse managers in the neonatal nurse community,” said Amy Paradis, NNP. “Our goal is to be a resource for nurses, nurse practitioners, clinicians, and neonatologists nationwide, and to educate and help them implement and maximize the use of an exclusive human milk diet to improve outcomes for premature babies in the NICU.”

Prolacta Bioscience is a longtime supporter of several educational and professional associations in the nursing field. Its 2017 sponsorships include:

• National Advanced Practice Neonatal Nurses Conference (April 19-21, 2017, Honolulu, HI): The Academy of Neonatal Nursing (ANN) provides this forum for continuing education for advanced practice nurses serving the neonatal population. Prolacta sponsored a breakfast symposium, and also was a conference exhibitor.
• SYNOVA NICU Leadership Forum (21st Annual) (April 25-29, 2017, Phoenix, Ariz.): The annual meeting, titled “Play by Play: Winning Strategies for Influential Leaders,” blends clinical and leadership best practices. Prolacta was a platinum sponsor and a conference exhibitor.
• Canadian Association of Neonatal Nurses (CANN) 2017 – Celebrating Canada 150/Caring for Newborns Today (May 7-8, 2017, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada): Terry S. Johnson, APN, director of Education and Professional Development for Prolacta, was a presenter on Neonatal Feeding Intolerance, and participated in an open forum on EHMDs. Prolacta also is a conference exhibitor.
• Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) Convention (June 24-28, 2017, New Orleans, La.): This conference offers innovative speakers, learning opportunities and new products for nurses working with newborns and in women’s health. Prolacta is a sponsor and a conference exhibitor.

“We are honored to participate in an impressive lineup of conferences that provide education and support to neonatal nurses nationwide,” said Scott Elster, CEO of Prolacta. “NICU nurses are on the front line, day in and day out, caring for the most fragile babies in the NICU, and they have our full appreciation and support for their tireless efforts.”

About Prolacta Bioscience

Prolacta Bioscience, Inc. is a privately held life sciences company dedicated to Advancing the Science of Human Milk®. The company pioneered the development of human milk-based neonatal nutritional products to meet the needs of critically ill, premature infants in the NICU. Prolacta leads the industry in the quality and safety of nutritional products made from donor breast milk and operates the first and only pharmaceutical-grade manufacturing facility for the processing of human breast milk.