The NFI’s NIDCAP Nursery Program
supports and recognizes a hospital’s commitment to uphold and integrate the principles of NIDCAP into their nurseries for all infants, families, and the healthcare professionals who care for them

NIDCAP Nurseries:

  • Provide a dynamic environment for the full integration of expert medical/surgical and nursing care securely embedded within the active pursuit of mutual respect, caring, nurturance of and collaboration with infants and families, and among all professionals and staff members
  • Engage in a continued process of self-evaluation and growth towards exemplary care

The process of nursery self-assessment and reflection offers a nursery the opportunity to:

  • Describe, characterize, and track themselves in assessing their level of NIDCAP care implementation and integration
  • Identify areas of current strengths as well as areas for future growth
  • Achieve a secure level of understanding and competence in NIDCAP care implementation and environmental support

The NIDCAP Nursery Program resources and materials are available free of charge for nurseries to utilize for their self-assessment

Self-Assessment Overview

The NIDCAP Federation International offers certification for hospitals and their nursery systems

The distinction of Certification as NIDCAP Nursery is awarded for nurseries that demonstrate consistent relationship-based care implementation for:

  • Promotion of the best short and long term development of all infants and families in their care
  • Support for the best personal and professional development of their healthcare professionals
Certification Overview

The NIDCAP Nursery Certification Renewal Application Process ensures that hospital nurseries with NFI NIDCAP Nursery Certification distinction, continue to maintain and/or grow further in providing a high standard of their NIDCAP nursery environment and their NIDCAP care of infants and their families and of the caregivers and staff, who care for them. This progressive quality assurance practice certifies that NFI‐certified NIDCAP nurseries continue to excel.

Nursery Certification Renewals are scheduled for 2, 4, and 6 years after the nursery’s initial certification as a NIDCAP Nursery. For all materials related to the renewal process click below:

NIDCAP Nursery Materials

See this page for guides, manuals, scoresheets, application materials and fees associated with the certification process

NIDCAP Nursery Materials