Advancing Neonatal Care: Implementing the Eat, Sleep, Console (ESC) Method for Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

November 11, 2025

Activity Description
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) continues to pose significant clinical challenges, with rising incidence rates and prolonged hospital stays. The Eat, Sleep, Console (ESC) method offers a functional, family-centered approach that has demonstrated improved outcomes, including reduced length of stay and decreased medication use. Participants will explore the ESC model in depth, compare it to traditional NAS management strategies such as the Finnegan scoring method, and gain practical insights for identifying appropriate cases for ESC, developing care plans and overcoming implementation barriers such as provider training and resource limitations. Neonatal care providers will come away with the knowledge and tools required to integrate ESC into their clinical practice effectively.

At the end of this activity, participants should be able to: 

  • Demonstrate an understanding of the ESC method.
  • Compare the traditional Finnegan scoring method and the ESC method.
  • Assess NAS cases to determine which ones can be optimally managed using the ESC method.
  • Develop an NAS care plan using the ESC method.

Provided by
This activity is provided by Optum Health Education and Optum Whole Health Solutions, Women’s Health. 

Commercial support
No commercial support was received for this activity.

Required hardware/software
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Activity summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.00 AMA - Physicians
  • 1.00 ANCC - Nurses
  • 1.00 Attendance - General Attendance
Activity opens: 
09/04/2025
Activity expires: 
12/11/2025
Event starts: 
11/11/2025 - 1:00pm EST
Event ends: 
11/11/2025 - 2:00pm EST
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Rating: 
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Presenter
Monica Hajdena-Dawson, MD, FAAP
NRS Medical Director
Optum 

Activity Planners
Elizabeth Albert, MD
Clinical Planner 
Optum Health Education

Susana Castro-Alcaraz, MD 
Senior Medical Director 
Optum Health Solutions 

Sarah Chart, RN 
Vice President
Optum Health Education

Disclosures of relevant financial relationships
In accordance with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education's (ACCME) Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, Optum Health Education (OHE) requires all those in control of educational content to disclose their financial relationships with ineligible companies within the prior 24 months. Ineligible companies are defined by the ACCME as companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing health care products used by or on patients. Individuals must disclose all financial relationships, regardless of the amount, with ineligible companies and regardless of their view of the relevance of the relationship to the education. OHE ensures that the content is independent of commercial bias.

Dr. Monica Hajdena-Dawson has no financial relationships to disclose. 

The planners have no financial relationships to disclose.

Accreditation statement
Joint Provider LogoIn support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by Optum Health Education and Optum Whole Health Solutions, Women’s Health. Optum Health Education is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the health care team.

Credit designation statements
Nurses
The participant will be awarded up to 1.00 contact hour(s) of credit for attendance and completion of supplemental materials.

Nurse practitioners
The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME and ANCC.

Physicians
Optum Health Education designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

PAs
The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME.
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Attendance
A certificate of attendance will be provided to learners upon completion of activity requirements, enabling participants to register with licensing boards or associations that have not been preapproved for credits. To apply for credit types not listed above, participants should use the procedure established by the specific organization from which they wish to obtain credit.

Available Credit

  • 1.00 AMA - Physicians
  • 1.00 ANCC - Nurses
  • 1.00 Attendance - General Attendance
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Activity date/time: This live webcast will be held on Tues. Nov. 11, 2025 from 1–2 p.m. ET (12–1 p.m. CT; 11 a.m.–12 p.m. MT; 10–11 a.m. PT).

Fees: There are no fees for participating in or receiving credit for this activity.

Questions: Email [email protected].