Allison Winchester

Allison Winchester

Presenter

"Allison Winchester is a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner at Dartmouth Health Children’s with more than 25 years of experience in neonatal critical care and newborn medicine. She has worked clinically in the neonatal intensive care unit and has 22 years of neonatal transport experience, progressing from team member to leader of a successful, high-functioning, and respected two-person RN/RT regional transport team for Dartmouth Health and DHART. Her transport work at Dartmouth led to global health opportunities, including assisting Kosovo in the development of a regional neonatal transport program. Allison later stepped away from her leadership transport role to pursue other opportunities in medicine. She is a NRP and simulation instructor dedicated to helping teams feel more confident and less overwhelmed during neonatal emergencies. Allison brings a practical and supportive approach to teaching, transforming “oh no” moments into “I know what to do” moments. Originally from British Columbia, Canada, she lives on the New Hampshire/Vermont border with her three children (two in college) and her dog, Penny. In her free time, she enjoys staying active outdoors and traveling."

Tiny Patients, Big Decisions: What EMS and First Responder Need to Know about Neonatal Stabilization (Friday, October 23, 2026 - 1)

“Out-of-hospital deliveries and early neonatal emergencies present unique challenges for EMS providers and first responders. The first few minutes after birth are critical to ensuring an adequate transition, and the neonatal “Golden Hour” is a vital period where evidence-based interventions and treatments can have a significant impact on both immediate and long-term outcomes. This session will provide a case-based approach focused on the initial assessment, stabilization, and transport of term, late preterm, and preterm infants. Participants will learn how to differentiate normal neonatal transition from early signs of respiratory distress, hypothermia, poor perfusion, and the unique challenges that make preterm infants more vulnerable. Key topics will include initial airway positioning, effective ventilation, appropriate oxygen use based on gestational age, prevention and management of hypothermia and hypoglycemia, early recognition of infants requiring escalation of care, and common pitfalls in neonatal resuscitation. Through realistic case scenarios, participants will gain confidence in decision-making during high-stress, low-frequency events. The goal of this session is to provide prehospital providers with simple, evidence-based strategies to safely and effectively stabilize newborns and optimize outcomes during transport.”