Improving Early Colostrum Administration to Very Low Birth Weight Infants in a Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Quality Improvement Initiative.

Objective: To improve our human milk practices by increasing early and sustained use of colostrum as oral immune therapy (OIT) in very low birthweight (VLBW) infants admitted at a level 3 neonatal intensive care unit.

Study Design: Using the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Model for Improvement, several interventions aimed at increasing early OIT administration were implemented. Four key drivers included: optimizing evidence-based OIT guidelines, personnel alignment and engagement, optimal electronic health record use for ordering practices, and timely lactation consultant involvement.

Reducing MRSA Infection in a New NICU During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background And Objectives: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is prevalent in most NICUs, with a high rate of skin colonization and subsequent invasive infections among hospitalized neonates. The effectiveness of interventions designed to reduce MRSA infection in the NICU during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has not been characterized.

Methods: Using the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Model for Improvement, we implemented several process-based infection prevention strategies to reduce invasive MRSA infections at our level IV NICU over 24 months.

Sequential organ failure assessment scores to predict outcomes: from adults to neonates.

Purpose Of Review: Organ dysfunction severity scores (sequential organ failure assessment or SOFA) are commonly used in the adult and pediatric populations when assessing risk of mortality and adverse outcomes from sepsis. In contrast to sepsis definition in adults and children, clinical and laboratory criteria for defining neonatal sepsis have been inconclusive. More recently, studies have attempted to better understand the clinical progression of neonatal sepsis and associated mortality.