Awareness of healthcare workers to total parenteral feeding in neonatal units

Abstract EN

Background: The partnership between hospital policy and staff procedures needs to be coordinated.

In the case of neonatal care, failures of this partnership can result into complications.

Objective: To evaluate staff awareness, hospital policy and current procedures relating to total parenteral nutrition (TPN) in Neonatal Intensive Care Units in Bahrain.

Design: A Self-Administered Questionnaire.

Setting: NICU, King Hamad University Hospital (KHUH) and Salmaniya Medical Center (SMC), Bahrain.

Method: The study population consisted of nurses and neonatal doctors in NICUs in King Hamad University Hospital and Salmaniya Medical Center.

Participation in the study implied consent; the survey was anonymous.

The self-administered questionnaire was distributed in August 2013 and consisted of 10 multiple-choice and open-ended questions.

Result: Sixty-two (80%) were aware of the risks of administering TPN.

Different policies and guidelines were followed depending on the institution.

Fifty-four (69%) respondents thought that TPN preparation should be carried out under sterile conditions; 63 (80%) preferably by a pharmacist rather than in the ward by doctors or nurses.

Low staff satisfaction was found in 19 (67%) because the pharmacy did not prepare the TPN.

Conclusion: Although staff may have high knowledge and awareness to reduce TPN risks, there is a clear need for hospital policy to consider the needs of the end user to reduce the neonatal infections.