Characteristics Associated With Preferences for Parent-Centered Decision Making in Neonatal Intensive Care

Importance

Little is known about how characteristics of particular clinical decisions influence decision-making preferences by patients or their surrogates. A better understanding of the factors underlying preferences is essential to improve the quality of shared decision making.

Objective

To identify the characteristics of particular decisions that are associated with parents' preferences for family- vs medical team-centered decision making across the spectrum of clinical decisions that arise in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cross-sectional survey assessed parents' preferences for parent- vs medical team-centered decision making across 16 clinical decisions, along with parents' assessments of 7 characteristics of those decisions. Respondents included 136 parents of infants in 1 of 3 academically affiliated hospital NICUs in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from January 7 to July 8, 2016. Respondents represented a wide range of educational levels, employment status, and household income but were predominantly female (109 [80.1%]), white (68 [50.0%]) or African American (53 [39.0%]), and married (81 of 132 responding [61.4%]).

Main Outcomes and Measures

Preferences for parent-centered decision making. For each decision characteristic (eg, urgency), multivariable analyses tested whether middle and high levels of that characteristic (compared with low levels) were associated with a preference for parent-centered decision making, resulting in 2 odds ratios (ORs) per decision characteristic.

Results

Among the 136 respondents (109 women [80.1%] and 27 men [19.9%]; median age, 30 years [range, 18-43 years]), preferences for parent-centered decision making were positively associated with decisions that involved big-picture goals (middle OR, 2.01 [99% CI, 0.83-4.86]; high OR, 3.38 [99% CI, 1.48-7.75]) and that had the potential to harm the infant (middle OR, 1.32 [99% CI, 0.84-2.08]; high OR, 2.62 [99% CI, 1.67-4.11]). In contrast, preferences for parent-centered decision making were inversely associated with the following 4 decision characteristics: technical decisions (middle OR, 0.82 [99% CI, 0.45-1.52]; high OR, 0.48 [99% CI, 0.25-0.93]), the potential to benefit the infant (middle OR, 0.42 [99% CI, 0.16-1.05]; high OR, 0.21 [99% CI, 0.08-0.52]), requires medical expertise (middle OR, 0.48 [99% CI, 0.22-1.05]; high OR, 0.21 [99% CI, 0.10-0.48]), and a high level of urgency (middle OR, 0.47 [99% CI, 0.24-0.92]; high OR, 0.42 [99% CI, 0.22-0.83]).

Conclusions and Relevance

Preferences for parent-centered vs medical team-centered decision making among parents of infants in the NICU may vary systematically by the characteristics of particular clinical decisions. Incorporating this variation into shared decision making and endorsing models that allow parents to cede control to physicians in appropriate clinical circumstances might improve the quality and outcomes of medical decisions.

Reduction in Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections in a NICU: Practical Lessons for Its Achievement and Sustainability

Central venous catheters are commonly used for the provision of parenteral nutrition and medications for critically ill neonates in the NICU. However, central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are a major complication associated with their use and remain an important cause of nosocomial sepsis in NICUs. Central line-associated bloodstream infection has shifted from being an expected routine complication of central line use to an adverse event now evaluated as a critical event with the goal of identifying root causes so future CLABSI events are prevented. Success has been achieved through multiple strategies including implementation and maintenance of care bundles, education strategies to promote consistent adherence to bundle components, and institutional and unit support. Although low CLABSI rates can be achieved, sustaining low CLABSI rates and achieving zero CLABSI remain an ongoing challenge. We describe our experience with lessons learned, with an emphasis on the areas of difficulty during implementation of the bundle elements and the strategies and tools we utilized to overcome them.

Trauma-informed care in the newborn intensive care unit: promoting safety, security and connectedness

Both babies and their parents may experience a stay in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU) as a traumatic or a 'toxic stress,' which can lead to dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and ultimately to poorly controlled cortisol secretion. Toxic stresses in childhood or adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are strongly linked to poor health outcomes across the lifespan and trauma-informed care is an approach to caregiving based on the recognition of this relationship. Practitioners of trauma-informed care seek to understand clients' or patients' behaviors in light of previous traumas they have experienced, including ACEs. Practitioners also provide supportive care that enhances the client's or patient's feelings of safety and security, to prevent their re-traumatization in a current situation that may potentially overwhelm their coping skills. This review will apply the principles of trauma-informed care, within the framework of the Polyvagal Theory as described by Porges, to care for the NICU baby, the baby's family and their professional caregivers, emphasizing the importance of social connectedness among all. The Polyvagal Theory explains how one's unconscious awareness of safety, danger or life threat (neuroception) is linked through the autonomic nervous system to their behavioral responses. A phylogenetic hierarchy of behaviors evolved over time, leveraging the mammalian ventral or 'smart' vagal nucleus into a repertoire of responses promoting mother-baby co-regulation and the sense of safety and security that supports health and well-being for both members of the dyad. Fostering social connectedness that is mutual and reciprocal among parents, their baby and the NICU staff creates a critical buffer to mitigate stress and improve outcomes of both baby and parents. Using techniques of trauma-informed care, as explained by the Polyvagal Theory, with both babies and their parents in the NICU setting will help to cement a secure relationship between the parent-infant dyad, redirecting the developmental trajectory toward long-term health and well-being of the baby and all family members.

Monitoring Neonatal Resuscitation: Why Is It Needed?

Stabilisation and resuscitation of babies at birth is one of the most frequently performed procedures and requires considerable skill. If it is not done well, the baby may suffer prolonged hypoxia and bradycardia. Over the last few years there has been a growing interest in carefully evaluating an infant's condition at birth and the details of what is happening during resuscitation. Clinical assessment of an infant at this time is difficult and often inaccurate. Assessments of heart rate, colour, chest excursions, mask leak, tidal volume, inflation and expiration times, endotracheal intubation, and spontaneous breathing are imprecise. Detailed monitoring of gas flow in and out of the baby, integrated to tidal volume and used to calculate the leak around the face mask or endotracheal tube, together with ventilation pressures, pulse oximetry, ECG, and capnography add objectivity to the clinical assessments. These physiological parameters can be used directly to guide care but are also very useful for debriefing, feedback, audit, teaching, and research. With simultaneous video recording of the resuscitation it is possible to see exactly what is happening during the procedure. Endotracheal intubation is a difficult skill to learn and teach. However, this is now much easier with video laryngoscopy showing the intubator and supervisors exactly what is happening at the larynx.

Successfully implementing and embedding guidelines to improve the nutrition and growth of preterm infants in neonatal intensive care: a prospective interventional study

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to improve the nutritional care of preterm infants by developing a complex (multifaceted) intervention intended to translate current evidence into practice. We used the sociological framework of Normalization Process Theory (NPT), to guide implementation in order to embed the new practices into routine care.

DESIGN

A prospective interventional study with a before and after methodology.

PARTICIPANTS

Infants <30 weeks gestation or <1500 g at birth.

SETTING

Tertiary neonatal intensive care unit.

INTERVENTIONS

The intervention was introduced in phases: phase A (control period, January-August 2011); phase B (partial implementation; improved parenteral and enteral nutrition solutions, nutrition team, education, August-December 2011); phase C (full implementation; guidelines, screening tool, 'nurse champions', January-December 2012); phase D (postimplementation; January-June 2013). Bimonthly audits and staff NPT questionnaires were used to measure guideline compliance and 'normalisation', respectively. NPT Scores were used to guide implementation in real time. Data on nutrient intakes and growth were collected continuously.

RESULTS

There were 52, 36, 75 and 35 infants in phases A, B, C and D, respectively. Mean guideline compliance exceeded 75% throughout the intervention period, peaking at 85%. Guideline compliance and NPT scores both increased over time, (r=0.92 and 0.15, p<0.03 for both), with a significant linear association between the two (r=0.21, p<0.01). There were significant improvements in daily protein intake and weight gain between birth and discharge in phases B and Ccompared with phase A (p<0.01 for all), which were sustained into phase D.

CONCLUSIONS

NPT and audit results suggest that the intervention was rapidly incorporated into practice, with high guideline compliance and accompanying improvements in protein intake and weight gain. NPT appears to offer an effective way of implementing new practices such that they lead to sustained changes in care. Complex interventions based on current evidence can improve both practice and clinical outcomes.

The Neonatal Eating Assessment Tool: Development and Content Validation

PURPOSE

To develop and content validate the Neonatal Eating Assessment Tool (NeoEAT), a parent-report measure of infant feeding.

DESIGN

The NeoEAT was developed in three phases. Phase 1: Items were generated from a literature review, available assessment tools, and parents' descriptions of problematic feeding in infants.Phase 2: Professionals rated items for relevance and clarity. Content validity indices were calculated. Phase 3: Parent understanding was explored through cognitive interviews.

SAMPLE

Phase 1: Descriptions of infant feeding were obtained from 12 parents of children with diagnosed feeding problems and 29 parents of infants younger than seven months. Phase 2: Nine professionals rated items. Phase 3: Sixteen parents of infants younger than seven months completed the cognitive interview.

MAIN OUTCOME VARIABLE

Content validity of the NeoEAT.

RESULTS

Three versions were developed: NeoEAT Breastfeeding (72 items), NeoEAT Bottle Feeding (74 items), and NeoEAT Breastfeeding and Bottle Feeding (89 items).

Antibiotic stewardship in the newborn surgical patient: A quality improvement project in the neonatal intensive care unit

BACKGROUND

There is significant diversity in the utilization of antibiotics for neonates undergoing surgical procedures. Our institution standardized antibiotic administration for surgical neonates, in which no empiric antibiotics were given to infants with surgical conditions postnatally, and antibiotics are given no more than 72 hours perioperatively.

METHODS

We compared the time periods before and after implementation of antibiotic protocol in an institution review board-approved, retrospective review of neonates with congenital surgical conditions who underwent surgical correction within 30 days after birth. Surgical site infection at 30 days was the primary outcome, and development of hospital-acquired infections or multidrug-resistant organism were secondary outcomes.

RESULTS

One hundred forty-eight infants underwent surgical procedures pre-protocol, and 127 underwent procedures post-protocol implementation. Surgical site infection rates were similar pre- and post-protocol, 14% and 9% respectively, (P = .21.) The incidence of hospital-acquired infections (13.7% vs 8.7%, P = .205) and multidrug-resistant organism (4.7% vs 1.6%, P = .143) was similar between the 2 periods.

CONCLUSION

Elimination of empiric postnatal antibiotics did not statistically change rates of surgical site infection, hospital-acquired infections, or multidrug-resistant organisms. Limiting the duration of perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis to no more than 72 hours after surgery did not increase the rate of surgical site infection, hospital-acquired infections, or multidrug-resistant organism. Median antibiotic days were decreased with antibiotic standardization for surgical neonates.

Five-year plan will revamp neonatal services in Scotland

The Scottish Government is considering recommendations for a revamp of neonatal services - including creating three specialist neonatal intensive care units in the next five years.

Eight principles for patient-centred and family-centred care for newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit

Despite the recent improvements in perinatal medical care leading to an increase in survival rates, adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes occur more frequently in preterm and/or high-risk infants. Medical risk factors for neurodevelopmental delays like male gender or intrauterine growth restriction and family sociocultural characteristics have been identified. Significant data have provided evidence of the detrimental impact of overhelming environmental sensory inputs, such as pain and stress, on the developing human brain and strategies aimed at preventing this impact. These strategies, such as free parental access or sleep protection, could be considered 'principles of care'. Implementation of these principles do not require additional research due to the body of evidence. We review the scientific evidence for these principles here.

Universal Postpartum Mental Health Screening for Parents of Newborns With Prenatally Diagnosed Birth Defects

OBJECTIVE

To describe the implementation of a nurse-led project to screen parents for depression and traumatic stress in the postpartum period after visiting their newborns in the NICU.

DESIGN

A standardized universal mental health postpartum screening and referral protocol was developed for parents of high-risk neonates.

SETTING/LOCAL PROBLEM

The project occurred at the Garbose Family Special Delivery Unit, the world's first obstetrics unit housed within a pediatric hospital serving healthy women who give birth to newborns with prenatally diagnosed fetal anomalies. Parents of neonates admitted to the NICU are at greater risk to develop postpartum psychological distress; therefore, early identification is critical.

PATIENTS

A total of 1,327 participants were screened, including 725 women who gave birth to live newborns at the Garbose Family Special Delivery Unit and 602 fathers.

INTERVENTION/MEASUREMENTS

Obstetric nurses asked parents to complete a screening tool that assessed their psychological risk in the postpartum period. A system for mental health triage and referral was available for parents with elevated scores.

RESULTS

Overall monthly screening procedure compliance rates were high (96.5% mothers and 79.6% fathers). Women (5.5%, n = 40) and men (5.5%, n = 33) showed high risk for traumatic stress, and 35.9% (n = 260) of women and 9.5% (n = 57) of men showed elevated risk for major depression in the imediate postpartum period.

CONCLUSION

Incorporating the screening process into routine nursing practice with immediate mental health triage and referral made the program feasible. The risk factors identified add to the growing knowledge about parents of newborns in the NICU.

Two-hourly versus 3-hourly feeding for very low birthweight infants: a randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether feeding with 2-hourly or 3-hourly feeding interval reduces the time to achieve full enteral feeding and to compare their outcome in very low birthweight preterm infants.

DESIGN

Parallel-group randomised controlled trial with a 1:1 allocation ratio.

SETTING

Two regional tertiary neonatal intensive care units.

PATIENTS

150 preterm infants less than 35 weeks gestation with birth weight between 1.0 and 1.5 kg were recruited.

INTERVENTIONS

Infants were enrolled to either 2-hourly or 3-hourly interval feeding after randomisation. Blinding was not possible due to the nature of the intervention.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome was time to achieve full enteral feeding (≥100 mL/kg/day). Secondary outcomes include time to regain birth weight, episode of feeding intolerance, peak serum bilirubin levels, duration of phototherapy, episode of necrotising enterocolitis, nosocomial sepsis and gastro-oesophageal reflux.

RESULTS

72 infants were available for primary outcome analysis in each group as three were excluded due to death-three deaths in each group. The mean time to full enteral feeding was 11.3 days in the 3-hourly group and 10.2 days in the 2-hourly group (mean difference 1.1 days; 95% CI -0.4 to 2.5; p=0.14). The mean time to regain birth weight was shorter in 3-hourly group (12.9 vs 14.8 days, p=0.04). Other subgroup analyses did not reveal additional significant results. No difference in adverse events was found between the groups.

CONCLUSION

3-hourly feeding was comparable with 2-hourly feeding to achieve full enteral feeding without any evidence of increased adverse events.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ACTRN12611000676910, pre-result.

Basic-targeted echocardiography for neonatologists: a trainee's perspective

Targeted echocardiography has been promoted by neonatologists in recent years but some aspects of its efficacy remain unexplored. We carried out a survey among trainees of targeted echocardiography courses in order to describe their professional characteristics and abilities. Thirty-eight former trainees were included in the survey. Seventy-six percent were experienced neonatologists and 84% practiced other bedside ultrasound diagnostics. Respondents practiced all major indications of targeted echocardiography, with a variable degree of interaction with available Cardiology services. For all but one indications, less than half of the participants use it independently of a pediatric cardiologist support, with percentages varied between 2% (for use of inhaled nitric oxide) and 53% (to assess myocardial contractility). When planning a standard of education and evaluation of targeted echocardiography, a careful consideration of the profile of the final utilizer is an invaluable piece of information.

Oxygen saturation targeting by pulse oximetry in the extremely low gestational age neonate: a quixotic quest

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

A collaboration of comparative effectiveness research trials of pulse oximeter saturation (SpO2) targeting in extremely low-gestational-age neonates have begun to report their aggregate results. We examine the results of those trials, collectively referred to as the Neonatal Oxygenation Prospective Meta-analysis or NeOProM. We also discuss the uncertainties that remain and the clinical challenges that lie ahead.

RECENT FINDINGS

The primary outcome from NeOProM was a composite of death or disability at 18-24 months corrected age. In 2016 the last of these reports was published. Although there were no differences in the primary outcome overall, analyses of secondary outcomes and data subsets following a pulse oximeter revision show significant treatment differences between targeting a lower compared with a higher SpO2.

SUMMARY

NeOProM represents the largest collaborative clinical research study of SpO2 targets in extremely low-gestational-age neonates. Although aggregate results give us some insight into the feasibility and efficacy of SpO2 targeting in this population, many questions remain. A patient-level analysis, tracking individual outcomes based on actual SpO2 experienced, may shed some light on these questions. However, finding a single optimal SpO2 range seems unlikely.

Evidence-Based Methods That Promote Human Milk Feeding of Preterm Infants: An Expert Review

Best practices translating the evidence for high-dose human milk (HM) feeding for preterm infants during neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) hospitalization have been described, but their implementation has been compromised. Although the rates of any HM feeding have increased over the last decade, efforts to help mothers maintain HM provision through to NICU discharge have remained problematic. Special emphasis should be placed on prioritizing the early lactation period of coming to volume so that mothers have sufficient HM volume to achieve their personal HM feeding goals. Donor HM does not provide the same risk reduction as own mother's HM.

Increased incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis in the Netherlands after implementation of the new Dutch guideline for active treatment in extremely preterm infants: Results from three academic referral centers

INTRODUCTION

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a severe inflammatory disease, mostly occurring in preterm infants. The Dutch guidelines for active treatment of extremely preterm infants changed in 2006 from 26+0 to 25+0weeks of gestation, and in 2010 to 24+0 of gestation. We aimed to gain insight into the incidence, clinical outcomes and treatment strategies, in three academic referral centers in the Netherlands over the last nine years.

METHODS

We performed a multicenter retrospective cohort study of all patients with NEC (Bell stage ≥2a) in three academic referral centers diagnosed between 2005 and 2013. Outcome measures consisted of incidence, changes in clinical presentation, treatment strategies and mortality.

RESULTS

Between 2005 and 2013 14,161 children were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit in the three centers. The overall percentage of children born at a gestational age of 24weeks and 25weeks increased with 1.7% after the introduction of the guidelines in 2006 and 2010. The incidence of NEC increased significantly (period 2005-2007: 2.1%; period 2008-2010 3.9%; period 2011-2013: 3.4%; P=0.001). We observed a significant decrease of peritoneal drainages (↓16%; P=0.001) and a decrease of laparotomies (↓24%; P=0.002). The mortality rate (33% in 2011-2013) remained unchanged.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of NEC significantly increased in the last nine years. The increase in incidence of NEC seemed to be related to an increase in infants born at a gestational age of 24 and 25weeks. The percentage of patients needing surgery decreased, while 30-day mortality did not change.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV.

Defining Procedural Distress in the NICU and What Can Be Done About It

Procedural distress is a common occurrence in the NICU and is tied to attempts to support the life and development of vulnerable premature infants. We discuss the epidemiology of procedural distress and the potential negative consequences on infant neurodevelopment. We define procedural distress in the NICU and outline three approaches to limit or to reduce its detrimental effects including minimizing the number of procedures, instituting measures for developmentally supportive care, and using preemptively pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic analgesia. Despite the pervasiveness of procedural distress in the NICU, clinical and administrative measures are available to ameliorate possible harmful outcomes.

When should resuscitation at birth cease?

It is rare for newborn infants to require prolonged resuscitation at birth. While there are detailed national and international guidelines on when and how to provide resuscitation to newborns, there is little existing guidance on when newborn resuscitation should be stopped. In this paper we review current guidance surrounding adult, paediatric and neonatal resuscitation as well as recent evidence of outcome for newborn infants requiring prolonged resuscitation. We discuss the ethical principles that can potentially guide decisions surrounding resuscitation and post-resuscitation care. We also propose a structured approach to stopping resuscitation.

Translating Neurodevelopmental Care Policies Into Practice: The Experience of Neonatal ICUs in France-The EPIPAGE-2 Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES

To describe the implementation of neurodevelopmental care for newborn preterm infants in neonatal ICUs in France in 2011, analyze changes since 2004, and investigate factors associated with practice.

DESIGN

Prospective national cohort study of all births before 32 weeks of gestation.

SETTING

Twenty-five French regions.

PARTICIPANTS

All neonatal ICUs (n = 66); neonates surviving at discharge (n = 3,005).

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Neurodevelopmental care policies and practices were assessed by structured questionnaires. Proportions of neonates initiating kangaroo care during the first week of life and those whose mothers expressed breast milk were measured as neurodevelopmental care practices. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were used to investigate relationships between kangaroo care or breast-feeding practices and unit policies, taking into account potential confounders. Free visiting policies, bed availability for parents, and kangaroo care encouragement significantly improved between 2004 and 2011 but with large variabilities between units. Kangaroo care initiation varied from 39% for neonates in the most restrictive units to 68% in less restrictive ones (p < 0.001). Individual factors associated with kangaroo care initiation were gestational age (odds ratio, 5.79; 95% CI, 4.49-7.48 for babies born at 27-31 wk compared with babies born at 23-26 wk) and, to a lesser extent, single pregnancy, birthweight above the 10th centile, and mother's employment before pregnancy. At unit level, policies and training in neurodevelopmental care significantly influenced kangaroo care initiation (odds ratio, 3.5; 95% CI, 1.8-7.0 for Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program implementation compared with no training). Breast milk expression by mothers was greater in units with full-time availability professionals trained for breast-feeding support (60% vs 73%; p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Dissemination of neurodevelopmental practices occurred between 2004 and 2011, but large variabilities between units persist. Practices increased in units with supportive policies. Specific neurodevelopmental care training with multifaceted interventions strengthened the implementation of policies.

Salivary Cortisol As Indicators of Pain in Preterm Infants

Assessment and management of pain in preterm infants is critical and complicated. The addition of salivary cortisol measurement may improve the specificity of assessment and guide care to alleviate pain. The purpose of this study was fourfold: (a) assess the feasibility of a method of saliva collection in premature infants, (b) assess reliability of a method of measuring salivary cortisol in response to heelstick, (c) identify relationships between salivary cortisol and a measure of pain behavior (using CRIES) following heelstick, and (d) identify peak response times for elevations of salivary cortisol following heelstick in preterm infants. This was a prospective, descriptive pilot study. Serial saliva samples were collected from eight healthy infants 30 to 36 weeks’ gestational age in a Newborn Intensive Care Unit. Cortisol levels were determined using enzyme-immuneassay. Samples were collected without use of stimulants. Sample means supported peak and trough patterns previously described in the literature. Behavioral measures of pain did not correlate well with peak cortisol levels.

Improving growth in preterm infants during initial hospital stay: principles into practice

Despite recent innovations in nutritional care, postnatal growth failure between birth and hospital discharge remains a significant problem in preterm infants. Whether or not it is entirely preventable is unclear. What is clear is that feeding practices and growth outcomes vary widely between neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). This partly reflects lack of data in key areas but it also reflects inconsistent translation of principles into practice and limitations in the way infants are fed and growth monitored in the NICU. These issues will be reviewed, in the process underline the key roles that audit, standardised feeding protocol, individualised nutritional care and a nutritional support team play in improving outcome in these high-risk infants.

Education and evidence are needed to improve neonatal parenteral nutrition practice

BACKGROUND

Parenteral nutrition (PN) is an essential component of neonatal care for those infants who are unable to tolerate adequate enteral feeding. Its use is not without complications such as biochemical derangements, sepsis, thrombosis, extravasation of fluid, and death. Such complications can be reduced by meticulous management of PN in response to biochemical abnormalities, nutrition teams, policies to reduce sepsis, and staff training to be more aware of pericardial and pleural effusions. We ascertained the current practices in PN administration and management of complications in all neonatal units with 6 or more intensive care cots in England, Scotland, and Wales.

METHODS

Telephone survey of middle grade doctors (Specialist Registrars) working in all 57 neonatal units was conducted using a standard questionnaire. The questions were focused around practical issues and problems that are commonly encountered with PN practice, including composition, complications, and nutrition support.

RESULTS

A response was obtained from 95% of the units contacted and a wide range of practices observed. Thirty-three percent of units delay protein (nitrogen) until > 48 hours after birth. Lipid infusions are stopped in proven or suspected sepsis in just over half of all units. In hyperglycemic preterm infants, 25 units decrease their glucose infusion, 21 commence insulin, and 8 have no policy. Two thirds of middle grade doctors had no idea of the amount of protein or nitrogen to prescribe for these infants, and only one-third involve a pharmacist in the PN prescribing.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a diverse practice and knowledge with a concerning lack of education in nutrition among the middle grade doctors in England, Scotland, and Wales. The management of common complications such as sepsis and hyperglycemia are highly variable. Improved staff training and production of unified evidence-based guidelines need urgent consideration.

OC47 - NICUs and family-centred care, from the leadership to the design, the results of a survey in Italy (by FCC Italian NICU study group)

Theme: Leadership, management, nursing education.

INTRODUCTION

Family-centered care (FCC) in NICUs is related to staff culture and the organization of the unit.

AIM

To describe the organizational characteristics and services for families in Italian NICUs.

METHODS

This survey involved 105 NICUs in Italy. The Italian version of the 'FCC in the NICUs: A Self-Assessment Inventory' developed by the Institute for FCC was sent to the nurse managers in January 2015.

RESULTS

Forty-seven NICUs answered (49%). The means of the NICU characteristics are number of beds: 20; newborns discharged/year: 331, of which very low birth weight infant: 68; unit's rooms: 3.7). The total mean score of the 10 areas explored by questionnaire was 2.6 (on 5 points Likert scale) for the 'status' and of 2.3 (on 3 points scale) for priority for change.

CONCLUSION

The results show an organizational lack, but also the consciousness of the need of change. Sharing new organizational strategies could be an important issue for the future.

Web Camera Use in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Impact on Nursing Workflow

BACKGROUND

Many neonatal intensive care units (NICU) are using web camera systems to allow virtual visitation of the infant by family members. Generally, families appreciate the web camera and utilize this service. However, no one has looked into the change on nursing workload after implementation of a web camera.

OBJECTIVE

This study was designed to explore the perception of nurses and their workflow and identify determinants that may disrupt or facilitate the use of a commercially available camera service. Our primary goal was to see if the camera system interferes with the nursing care.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a prospective, questionnaire-based study conducted between March and September 2014. Parents were offered the camera service and signed a consent form before use. Parents who refused the camera were the group designated as "off camera." There were two infant groups; one cared for using the cameras and the other not. The camera service was used continuously during the study period, except during procedures, baby care, and feedings. Demographic information on nursing staff and neonates was collected weekly. Questionnaires were placed at each bedside for nurses to complete on each shift for each infant once weekly. The questionnaires for infants off-camera did not have questions regarding the camera. However, the rest of the questions were similar regarding time spent interacting with family members, face to face, or on the phone. Data on time spent manipulating the camera per shift were also obtained.

RESULTS

Surveys for 623 on-camera and 130 off-camera infants were completed by 42 nursing staff. Findings showed that caring for multiple infants while using the web camera increased nurses' workload and stress, which they perceived as having an adverse effect on the ability to provide quality care. Family decisions not to utilize the camera service were mainly cultural, and noted among Mennonite, Amish, and Hmong families. Some families residing close to the hospital also preferred visiting the baby personally rather than using the camera service.

CONCLUSION

Parents and nurses perceived web cameras as beneficial in the NICU setting. However, nurses spent significant time manipulating cameras and addressing parental concerns over the phone, causing disruption in their workflow, which had the potential to decrease quality of care for infants. To compensate for these disruptions, we recommend increasing awareness of the potential issues with both cameras and families and providing multiple training sessions to nursing staff before systems are implemented.