A national survey of neonatal intensive-care units: criteria used to determine readiness for oral feedings.
OBJECTIVE
To describe criteria used to determine readiness for oral feedings in stable, preterm infants.


METHODS
A 25-item survey questionnaire was mailed to hospitals having level II or level III NICUs.


METHODS
Nurseries identified in the 1987 National Perinatal Directory (576 in all) as level II or level III NICUs.


METHODS
Head nurses (HN) and staff nurses (SN) at 420 hospitals comprised 73% of the sample surveyed.


METHODS
Survey items were predominantly multiple choice and included an "other" option to encourage comments.


METHODS
Respondents described clinical practice in their nurseries relative to feeding policies, use of traditional decision criteria, or behavioral cues and related interventions.


CONCLUSIONS
Fewer than 50% of nurseries identified a specific feeding policy for the initiation of oral feedings. Seventy-five percent used either gestational age or weight criteria in deciding when to start oral feedings. Eighty-six percent considered infant behavior as well when determining feeding readiness. Findings suggest an emerging emphasis on infant behavioral cues in addition to gestational age and weight criteria when making feeding decisions.
University of Texas, Austin.
E P
EP
Siddell
R D
RD
Froman
D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003625:Data Collection; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000451:nursing*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States