Newborn Warning Signs: Evidence-Based Discharge Education for Families
The transition from hospital to home after birth is a critical period for newborns and their families. Clear, consistent discharge education helps parents feel confident recognizing what’s normal—and when to seek care.
The AWHONN Newborn Warning Signs (NBWS) program provides an evidence-based, standardized approach to newborn discharge education. The NBWS handout is a validated, patient-facing tool designed to help parents identify and respond to warning signs in their newborn, supporting safer care beyond the hospital setting.
Newborn Warning Signs Education Now Available
This course examines the current challenges in newborn discharge education, highlights gaps and inconsistencies, and equips nurses with practical strategies to help families recognize warning signs that require immediate or prompt medical attention.
Learn More From Our Program Demo
Here’s What You Need To Know:
Pricing:
Member: $35 per seat
E-Member: $45 per seat
Nonmember: $55 per seat
Nursing Contact Hours
1.0 nursing contact hour (NCPD activity available through 12/1/2026)
NCC Codes: The codes listed are based on the NCC coding books. Please check to ensure codes are correct before submitting for maintenance.
NIC – Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing (Physiology and Pathophysiology, Code 2)
LRN – Low Risk Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing (General Management, Code 2)
NNP – Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (General Management, Code 3)
MNN – Maternal Newborn Nursing (Postpartum Assessment, Management and Complications, Code 3)
OB – Newborn (Code 5)
Contact Us
Volume sales inquiry (for price information or a group quote): productsales@awhonn.org
Permissions inquiry (to reuse our copyrighted material): permissions@awhonn.org
Online Learning Center questions (for admin access or to enroll learners): learning@awhonn.org
AWHONN Accreditation Statement
Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Accredited status does not imply endorsement by AWHONN or the American Nurses Credentialing Center of any commercial products displayed or discussed in conjunction with an educational activity.
AWHONN is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider #CEP580.
Resources for Clinicians
Download the New Newborn Warning Signs Handouts – Available in Multiple Languages
These handouts are not designed to act as stand-alone products, but as a resource provided after completion of the Newborn Warning Signs Education Course. AWHONN permits clinicians to print copies of the Newborn Warning Signs handouts free of charge if the handout is being used as part of patient care and/or patient discharge or post-discharge education. For all other uses, view the NBWS Permissions Policy.
Explore the new Newborn Warning Signs handouts available in multiple languages.
The NBWS handout is a validated, patient-facing educational tool designed to help parents identify warning signs in their newborn that warrant attention from a health care provider.
The handout is currently in multiple languages with additional translations planned.
Coming Soon: Newborn Warning Signs Vinyl Clings, Magnets, and Magnet Templates
AWHONN offers clinicians the ability to purchase Newborn Warning Signs vinyl clings, magnets, or templates, as an additional parent resource to reinforce your newborn discharge education.
Pre-made packs of 50 will be available in English for both the vinyl clings and magnets. Magnet templates are also available.
Newborn Warning Signs Implementation Toolkit
The AWHONN Newborn Warning Signs (NBWS) Toolkit was developed to assist you in your facility’s NBWS implementation journey.
Hospitals purchasing 10 or more NBWS Education seats are eligible to purchase the NBWS Toolkit.
Price: $75/hospital – please contact productsales@awhonn.org to purchase.
Newborn Warning Signs Toolkit includes the following resources:
a. Terms of Use for NBWS Toolkit
b. NBWS Introductory Presentation
c. NBWS FAQ
d. Sample NBWS Justification letter (customizable)
e. NBWS Audit Tool
f. NBWS Sample News Release (customizable)
g. NBWS Bulletin Board Communication Materials
h. NBWS Sample Implementation Timeline
i. NBWS Magnet template
Testimonials From Research Participants:
Clinicians who participated in the study shared their experiences using AWHONN’s Newborn Warning Signs resources in practice. Their feedback highlights how these materials support family education and help promote early recognition of concerning newborn symptoms.
“I went to the internet for everything…something like this would have been so helpful.”
“I would have had it on my fridge. It would have saved me so much time.”
“This is much better than the whole booklet I got.”
“I wish someone had given this to me when [the baby] was first born.”
