PGY3 Pediatric Resident Ascension St John Childrens Hospital Grosse pointe park, Michigan, United States
Background: The management of nutrition in preterm infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) can be challenging and can often lead to extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR). Currently, variability continues to exist between different pediatric providers. This variability includes when they choose to initiate and advance feeds and is often a result of concern about the development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), fluid overload and feeding intolerance. The institution of a standardized feeding protocol could help to limit this variability, while providing an evidence-based approach to feeding.
Prior to 2023, the Ascension St. John NICU had high variability in feeding practices. A feeding protocol was implemented in January 2023. Objective: The aim of this study is to assess whether the implementation of standardized feeding protocols had an effect on growth outcomes, specifically of preterm infants Design/Methods: This is a pre-post quasi-experimental study that will be done by retrospective chart review at Ascension St. John Hospital. The pre-feeding protocol period encompasses June 1, 2018 to December 31, 2022 and the post-feeding protocol period encompasses January 1, 2023 to August 31, 2023.
Inclusion criteria: Infants with birth weight less than 1500g Gestational age less than 32 weeks
Exclusion criteria: Major congenital anomalies. Known gastrointestinal abnormalities requiring surgery. Death prior to initiation of feeds.
Chart review:
Retrospective chart review will include the following data collection: Demographic and other characteristics at birth, Discharge Characteristics, Nutritional Milestones: such as timing and mode of feeds and Clinical Outcomes
