High-Flow Nasal Cannula Practice Patterns Reported by Neonatologists and Neonatal Nurse Practitioners in the United...

Area of Science:

• Neonatal Medicine
• Respiratory Care
• Clinical Practice Research

Background:

• High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) is a common treatment for neonatal respiratory conditions.
• Recent evidence guides HFNC practice, but current patterns and adherence to guidelines are unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate current HFNC practice patterns in US neonatal intensive care units.
• To assess the availability and use of clinical practice guidelines for HFNC.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive study utilizing a web-based survey of US neonatal providers.
• Quantitative analysis of 947 responses using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests.

Main Results:

• Significant variations in HFNC practice patterns were observed.
• One-third of providers used clinical guidelines; most used HFNC with nasal CPAP.
• Over two-thirds employed HFNC as primary respiratory support, with device type influencing practice.

Conclusions:

• Wide practice variations in HFNC therapy exist among US providers.
• Underutilization of standardized guidelines may contribute to these variations.
• Device type impacts HFNC practice; future research should address practice variations and evidence gaps.