title: A Post-operative Feeding Protocol to Improve Outcomes for Neonates With Critical Congenital Heart Disease.
abstract: Neonates with critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) are vulnerable to malnutrition during the post-operative period due to hypermetabolism and hypercatabolism. To improve nutritional outcomes during hospitalization, a nurse led post-operative enteral feeding protocol was implemented at a large U.S. children's hospital. During an eight-month implementation period, twenty-one neonates met protocol inclusion criteria. Days for neonates to achieve goal caloric feedings (120kcal/kg/day) were decreased. A one-way repeated measures analysis of variance showed serum albumin levels and serial anthropometric measurements improved significantly throughout hospitalization (p<0.005). Results from this quality improvement project show standardizing nutritional care for neonates with CCHD during the post-operative period is an effective way to improve nutritional outcomes and shorten length of hospital stay.
authors.affiliation: Loma Linda School of Nursing, United States. Electronic address: jnewcomb@llu.edu.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Newcombe
authors.affiliation: University of San Diego, Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science, United States.
authors.forename: Eileen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fry-Bowers
mesh_terms: D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000451:nursing*; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000451:nursing* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007224:Infant Care / Q000379:methods; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000451:nursing*; D014481:United States
keywords: Congenital Heart Disease (CHD); Neonate; Nutrition