At 20, Fernanda faced overwhelming challenges: a strained home life, an unplanned pregnancy, and the pressure of supporting her family. Determined to complete her education, she re-enrolled in high school while navigating financial instability and health complications. During her pregnancy, Fernanda connected with Nurse-Family Partnership® (NFP), which provided crucial support. NFP nurse Christina guided her through difficult health diagnoses like gestational diabetes, helped her secure housing and connected her with resources for job training. Christina’s support also helped Fernanda through postpartum depression. With Christina’s encouragement, Fernanda earned her diploma, found stable work, and became a parent engagement coach. Today, Fernanda and her family are thriving, grateful for the empowerment and guidance NFP provided during their toughest times. (Read Fernanda’s full story
here.)
One organization that is making significant strides in maternal-child care is NFP, “an evidence-based, community health program with over 45 years of research showing significant improvements in the health and lives of first-time moms and their children affected by social and economic inequality and other risk factors” (NFP, 2023). NFP deploys specially educated registered nurses to regularly visit low-income, first-time moms during the early stages of pregnancy through the child’s second birthday. These nurses develop close, trusting relationships with the mothers and serve as mentors, providing advice and education on preventative health practices such as prenatal care, nutrition, avoiding drugs and alcohol, and overall pediatric care and safety at no cost to the mother.
Nurse-Family Partnership Imprint
NFP has been independently evaluated and is ranked as the Gold Standard of home visiting programs (NFP, 2023). Rigorous research studies, including three randomized controlled trials, have been conducted over the last 30 years with the following results:
- Children of mothers enrolled in the NFP program
- 88% reached full-term birth
- 92% have up-to-date immunizations at 6 months of age
- 70% screened at 4 months for developmental delays
- 48% less likely to suffer abuse and neglect
- 56% decrease in emergency room visits for accidents and poisonings
- 50% reduction in language delays at 21 months of age
- 67% less likely to experience behavioral and intellectual problems at age 6 years
- Mothers enrolled in the NFP program
- 72% fewer convictions
- 35% fewer pregnancy-induced hypertensive complications
- 18% fewer preterm births
- 79% reduction in preterm delivery in those who smoke cigarettes
- 89% initiated breastfeeding
- 72% fewer convictions
- 82% increase in employment (63% of mothers age 18 and over are employed when the child is 2 years old)
NFP programs are delivered through a national network of partners with broad reach and strong economic advantages (NFP, 2024).
- Over 409,000 families have been served since program replication began in 1996.
- Over 55,500 families are served annually in the NFP program.
- Over 2,300 nurse home visitors and nurse supervisors are employed by NFP.
- Forty states plus Washington, D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands, and several Tribal Communities are served by NFP.
- State and federal government cost savings average $26,800 per family served.
To learn more, go to the
Nurse-Family Partnership website.
Giving Back to NFP
Each year, Lippincott NursingCenter (LNC) selects one charitable organization to support through our #NurseStrong program. This year, we are proud to donate 50% of the #NurseStrong2024 continuing education (CE) collection proceeds to the Nurse-Family Partnership. NFP exemplifies the power of nurses who utilize their valuable skills in a variety of settings, positively contributing to their communities. The ground-breaking work of the NFP program aligns with LNC’s philosophy to promote evidence-based nursing practice and improve patient outcomes. To learn more, go to
#NurseStrong Charity Campaign.
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