Poor oral motor development in preterm neonates is common. Feeding problems lead to longer hospital stay and higher hospital cost. Different interventions have shown their efficacy to accelerate transition and move faster to full oral feeding autonomy. Our study aimed to evaluate the impact of a 2-year education nurse program on feeding pattern and hospital stay of preterm neonates. This is an interrupted time series study placed in Intensive Care and Neonatal unit of an university hospital located in Lyon, France. All preterm neonates are included in the study, from April 2013 to January 2016.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
729
A multidisciplinary group composed of childcare assistants, nurse guardians, speech therapist, physiotherapist, psychologist, and pediatricians will develop and implement the educational oral feeding program. They will provide the 2-day theoretical session as well as the three 2-hour practical sessions including reviews of video recording preterm neonates during bottle or breast feedings. The program will focus on non-nutritive sucking for all neonates from 24 up to 34 weeks' of gestation, early oral feeding from 29 weeks' of gestation and oral stimulation for all preterm neonates admitted to the unit. Additionally, all preterm neonates presenting feeding difficulties symptoms will be evaluated weekly by a physiotherapist or speech therapist. Each program session is composed of 20 nurses or childcare assistants. Six sessions will be organized in total and all nurses and childcare assistants will be trained
Hôpital Femme-Mère-Enfant des Hospices Civils de Lyon
Bron, Lyon, France
Mean age per month of full oral feeding achievement
The age (real and corrected) of weaning of naso-gastric tube of preterm neonates taken out of hospitalization during the month will be computed by subtracting the date of weaning from the date of birth.
Time frame: Monthly for 34 months
Percent of preterm neonates presenting with feeding difficulty symptoms
Preterm neonates will be considered as presenting with feeding difficulty symptoms if they present : * no demonstration of hunger cues and/or, * Coughing,choking or vomiting during bottle or breast feeding and/or, * Feed intake exceeding 30 minutes and/or, * Excitement, discomfort or arching of the back during feedings and/or, * Gagging or falling asleep during feedings and/or, * Refusal to feed. The monthly rate of neonates presenting feeding difficulty symptoms will correspond to the total number of neonates presenting feeding difficulty symptoms divided by the number of neonates hospitalized during the month.
Time frame: Monthly for 34 months
Mean length of hospital stay per month
Time frame: Monthly for 34 months
Morbidity and mortality per month
The rate of following neonatal pathologies will be studied : * Bronchopulmonary dysplasia, * Necrotizing enterocolitis, * Periventricular leukomalacia, * Intra-ventricular haemorrhage, * Premature retinopathy, * Hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy.
Time frame: Monthly for 34 months
Nurses and childcare assistants' satisfaction concerning the educational session
The opinion of nurses and childcare assistants will be collected about the program contents, the organization and the results waited on their practices of care. The qualities of teaching will be assessed by a 5-point Likert scale.
Time frame: 34 months
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