On 26-27 November, NeoIPC hosted its first Implementation Workshop in Zurich, Switzerland, bringing together principal investigators and neonatal unit (NICU) staff from Greece and Switzerland participating in the NeoDeco study’s intervention arm. 

NeoDeco aims to assess whether optimised kangaroo care can reduce infection rates in preterm babies in NICUs within high-resource settings. “Optimised” kangaroo care refers to early, frequent and sustained skin-to-skin contact – a standard that is often not met by NICUs in Europe.

To support NICUs in achieving the kangaroo care standards required by the study, a team of implementation scientists from the University of Zurich supports the development of tailored site-level strategies and provides ongoing progress monitoring throughout the intervention period. 

The workshop focused on ways and possibilities of how implementation science can support the adoption of optimised kangaroo care in everyday clinical practice. A highlight of the workshop were the sessions led by two kangaroo care experts, who shared insights into their clinical experiences and good practices. Their input generated much discussion among the participants. This real-world perspective provided participants with actionable guidance and inspired deeper engagement to progress with study activities. 

As the study continues, the Implementation team will continue supporting NICUs through continuous coaching and facilitated peer support. 

The workshop represented an opportunity for many participants to meet face-to-face for the first time, exchange on their unique NICU challenges and clarify doubts, fostering lively discussions and idea exchanges. Attendees left equipped with practical skills and actionable insights to drive optimised kangaroo care implementation in their respective settings.