Our goal is that reliable administration and scoring will be accomplished through training. Regularly practicing assessments on your own is essential so that we can address initial questions early and help you refine your handling and the more subtle points of the administration and scoring processes so that you will be able to be incorporate any needed changes early in our work together. Your competency and confidence with each of these aspects will develop over the course of practicing.
The following activities will help you prepare for our training sessions towards the goal of becoming facile in the administration and scoring of complete assessments with a variety of newborns during the training. We understand that your schedule is very busy, but please keep in mind that the activities listed here are essential to prepare you for training in order to achieve certification. Please be sure you set aside regular time to practice and review. As you proceed through each Module, make a list of questions and feel free to email them to us.
If you haven’t already done so, review the “General Competencies to Initiate NNNS-II Training with Infants”

This online module is self-study and contains information on the history and background of the exam. Trainees must review the manual thoroughly to become familiar with the purpose, constructs assessed, procedures, and terms used. Read the articles to become even more familiar with the NNNS and the use of NNNS in research and clinical.

1. Read scoring chapter (45-75 mins).
2. Read articles (30 mins).
3. Review PowerPoint slides (15 mins).
4. Watch NNNS assessment review and demonstration video (20 mins).
5. Complete a test and submit answers (30-60 mins).

This online module focuses on administration of the exam, with emphasis on the trainee’s learning and practicing maneuvers.

1. Watch video to observe flow and administration of the exam (30 mins).
2. Review Demonstration PowerPoint (30 mins).
3. Practice administration on a doll or infant if trainee has enough infant expertise
4. Interactive Web Session with trainer (1.5-2 hours).
5. After becoming comfortable with administering the items with a doll, practice the exam with healthy, stable infants.

This module focuses on scoring, but trainees will also discuss administration guidelines and are expected to practice continually.

1. Complete scoring of video with trainer (30 mins, if not completed in Module 2).
2. Practice exam on a doll or infant (30-60 mins, or until proficient with administration).
3. Review Scoring PowerPoint and record answers to the questions for next call with trainer (30 mins).
4. Watch 2nd video, take notes, and score exam (60 mins).
5. Web Session (1 to 1.5 hours)
6. Additional videos and calls/Web sessions are arranged until trainees are comfortable/skilled with administration and scoring (4.5-6 hours). Each exam takes 1.5 hours which includes 30 minutes for the exam and your scoring and a 1-hour discussion call regarding scoring. Scoring takes approximately 3-4 calls/Web sessions as administration is also discussed. Calls are generally scheduled a week apart but can be more frequent if desired. Training is a process and dependent upon trainee practice and participation.
7. Continuous Individual/Group Practice: Depending on your level of expertise and comfort as well as hospital guidelines, as a group (if more than one is getting trained from your site), or on your own, practice administering the exam with at least 2 each of the following types of babies: (1) healthy full-term, (2) healthy, stable preterm (greater than 34 weeks) and (3) substance-exposed full-term and if applicable, (4) infants in your area of focus.

This module focuses on administration and scoring of practice exams with continuous feedback from trainer.

Perform 10-20 practice exams with infants and submit some of these recorded exams for review and feedback (15-30 hours, or until proficient with administration and scoring at trainer’s discretion). Time includes 30 mins for each exam and 60 mins for each feedback session.

In this module, trainees submit exams for certification. Trainees should have completed at least 10-20 full exams with scoring (Module 4) and feel they can administer items and packages consistent with the scoring chapter before submitting exams for certification.

1. For remote certification, each trainee will administer and submit the videos and scoring for at least 2 exams (2 hours, or until trainee passes scoring and administration reliability and handling requirements).
2. If in-person training with trainer – maximum is 3 days.