Creation of a Standard Model for Tube Feeding at Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Discharge.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Feeding dysfunction is a common consequence of prematurity and illness in neonates, often requiring supplemental nasogastric (NG) or gastrostomy (GT) feeding tubes. A standardized approach to the discharge of infants receiving home enteral nutrition (HEN) is currently lacking.

Methods

The Home Enteral Feeding Transitions (HEFT) program was developed to identify patients eligible for HEN and create a standard discharge process. A structured tool helped determine discharge timing and route, and a dedicated outpatient clinic was created for infants discharged on HEN. Demographic, inpatient, and outpatient data were prospectively collected and compared with a historical cohort.

Results

A total of 232 infants discharged from our neonatal intensive care unit (NIC

SUBMITTER: White BR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7060820 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature