Impact of Implementing an Infant Driven Feeding Program on Oral Feeding and Growth Outcomes of Medically Fragile Infants in the Neonatal ICU (NICU)

Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago156 enrolled

Overview

The specific aim of this pre-post trial is to compare data regarding oral feeding, length of stay, and growth outcomes of 100 NICU infants to these same outcomes following the implementation of a developmentally supportive, infant driven feeding program with the NICU staff, specifically the Supporting Oral Feeding in Fragile Infants (SOFFI) infant feeding program on a second sample of 100 NICU infants at Children's Memorial Hospital. The specific research questions considered in this study are: 1. What is the impact of implementing the SOFFI on the oral feeding outcomes of medically fragile infants in the NICU at discharge and at 3 months post-term? 2. What is the impact of implementing the SOFFI on the growth outcomes of medically fragile infants in the NICU at discharge and at 3 months post-term? 3. What is the impact of implementing the SOFFI on the length of stay of medically fragile infants in the NICU? 4. What is the impact of implementing the SOFFI on the clarity and consistency of NICU staff evaluations and communications related to managing oral feedings with medically fragile infants?

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

156

Conditions

Oral Feeding Outcomes Growth Length of NICU Stay

Interventions

NICU nursing and multidisciplinary staff were trained to use the SOFFI infant driven feeding program. A small group of learners (20) were trained as resources via a 2-day course and the entire nursing staff received training during a 1-1.5 hour training lecture during their annual competencies.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 3 MonthsMax age: 5 Months

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Infants of all gestations and diagnostic groups in this tertiary level NICU will be included in the sample Exclusion Criteria: * Infants with medical diagnoses known to impact sucking and swallowing * Infants unable to manage their oral secretions * Infants who remain hospitalized beyond 3 months adjusted age * Infants who expire or are transferred to another inpatient unit or hospital/facility prior to discharge from the NICU

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Oral feeding outcomes

Defined as percentage of ordered full feeding volume as ordered by NICU staff taken orally at NICU discharge and, if applicable, the number of days to take 100% of ordered feeding volume orally.

Time frame: Up to 3 months

Oral Feeding Outcomes

Infant oral feeding outcomes per structured parent phone interview at home.

Time frame: Up to 5 months

Secondary Outcomes

Growth outcomes

Defined as an infant's height, weight and length percentiles on the Center for Disease Control (CDC) growth chart at NICU discharge