Standardizing Care of the Late Preterm Infant

Area of Science:

• Neonatal care
• Pediatrics
• Quality Improvement in Healthcare

Background:

• Late preterm infants (34-36 6/7 weeks gestation) face higher risks for complications like hypoglycemia and feeding issues compared to term infants.
• Physiological and metabolic immaturity contribute to these increased risks in late preterm infants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance adherence to the established late preterm infant care policy within a level III maternal and newborn hospital.
• The project aimed to increase nurse adherence to the late preterm infant policy from a baseline of 64% to a target of 80%.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of an education program for maternal-child nurses and support clinicians.
• Introduction of a specialized breastfeeding log for late preterm infants.
• Updates to the electronic medical record system to support policy adherence.

Main Results:

• Nurse adherence to the late preterm infant policy significantly improved, reaching 90% by the project's conclusion.
• The interventions successfully surpassed the initial adherence goal of 80%.

Conclusions:

• Establishing comprehensive late preterm infant care protocols in all newborn nurseries is recommended.
• Electronic medical record prompts, dedicated breastfeeding logs, and ongoing education are effective strategies to support policy adherence for late preterm infant care.