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Outcomes Of Implementation Of An Evidence-Based Enteral Feeding Protocol In Neonates Weighing Less Than 1800g At Birth, Rebecca Edwards
Outcomes Of Implementation Of An Evidence-Based Enteral Feeding Protocol In Neonates Weighing Less Than 1800g At Birth, Rebecca Edwards
Maine Medical Center
Background:
Several studies have demonstrated that the implementation of standardized enteral feeding guidelines can lead to positive outcomes in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), including improved nutrition, decreased need for parenteral nutrition (PN), central lines and decreased costs. Furthermore, implementation of standard feeding regimens have significantly reduced the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a devastating gastrointestinal emergency in neonates. It has been reported that NEC has an iatrogenic component related to variations in feeding practices. While the exact mechanism of the reduced risk of NEC and implementation of feeding protocols is unclear, standard feeding regimens likely improve consistency in …