Understanding the Barriers to RDs Practicing In the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Suny Oneonta

Abstract

Theresa Loomis RD, Autumn Smith, Emily Lalonde and Toivo Pasto

Purpose: To determine and assess the reasons behind the lack of Registered Dietitian (RD) presence in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Subjects: 272 RDs voluntarily completed the online questionnaire regarding their knowledge, comfort level and experience working with preterm infants. Design: 2500 researcher developed surveys were emailed to Registered Dietitians across the United States. Only 248 surveys were returned which prompted the need to send out additional requests to complete the survey, which were administered via social media. This resulted in 24 more responses.

Methods: The electronic survey consisted of a mix of 23 open- and close-ended questions. The survey was singleblinded and all of the responses remained confidential. Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval was obtained prior to the administration of the survey from the State University of New York at Oneonta. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data.

Results of the survey questions within this study reflect only the number of respondents to the particular question asked, not necessarily the total 262 that participated. Results: Less than half of the respondents had experience working with premature infants (40.6%). Of the RDs who were not comfortable working in the NICU, 55.2% responded that it was due to insufficient knowledge regarding neonatal nutrition. Continuing education was cited as the most desirable mode of obtaining education on working with this population (79.2%).

Conclusion: An increase in continuing education opportunities for RDs on nutrition for preterm infants is paramount

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