Theoretical Framework: Orem’s self care theory, with a focus on the supportive-educative nursing system.

Methods: A mixed quantitative correlational descriptive survey method and a qualitative grounded theory approach were used. Quantitative study participants completed a demographic and newborn metabolic screening educational experience questionnaire and the Parenting Stress Index Short Form. Data analysis included frequency distributions and non-parametric statistical tests. The sample included 190 parents with infants born during August and September 2005. Eight of the thirteen participants who had an infant with false positive initial screening results participated in the qualitative component of the study. Barney Glaser’s constant comparative approach was used to analyze the interviews of parents. The interviews were analyzed for patterns and themes.

Results: Over half (n = 126, 66.3%) of the participants perceived they had not received education about NMS prior to the testing and over half (n = 107, 56.3%) reported they did not receive high quality education. The core phenomenon entitled Challenged Coping and Adaptation emerged from the interviews with parents.

Conclusions/Implications: Parents’ perceived they had not received adequate or quality education regarding NMS. Parents’ ability to cope and adapt to notification of a false positive initial screening result was effected by the education they received. Nursing implications include the need for nurses to: become more educated about NMS; use this new knowledge to provide education to parents and to advocate for parents and their infants; participate in needed nursing research regarding NMS; and become more involved in NMS policy development.