Global Infant Mortality/Morbidity: a Clinical Issue, a Global Organizational Approach

This article posits that the burden and legacy of high neonatal morbidity and mortality rates are social and economic stresses at the local, national, regional, and international levels. Furthermore, if neonatal morbidity and mortality rates are not reduced through appropriate clinical and educational means, a significant local and global consequence will be the destabilization of workforces and economies in many parts of the world. Because coordinated clinical and education efforts are required if neonatal health outcomes are to improve, and it is essential that these endeavors be led by nurses, the labor sector most likely to provide the needed care and outreach to mothers and children, a globally respected specialty nursing organization must be at the center of developing and implementing the necessary clinical and educational interventions.