Mrs Aleksandra Vanzetti1, Ms Nicolette Varvounis1
1Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, Australia
Biography:
Aleksandra Vanzetti is the Acting Senior Manager of Speech Pathology for the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network which includes leadership of adult and paediatric Speech Pathology services in the acute and community settings. Aleks has been working as a Speech Pathologist since 2000 with professional background including broad experience with paediatric populations presenting with communication and swallowing disorders and a special interest in feeding development in fragile infants in the acute setting.
Abstract:
Neonates in Special Care Nursery (SCN) often present with comorbidities such as cardio-respiratory instability, neurological impairment, or prematurity, which directly impact their feeding skills. Despite the higher incidence of feeding difficulties in this cohort, few referrals were received by NALHN Speech Pathology in 2021. Furthermore, early feeding practices in the SCN were not aligned with current evidence-based practice (EBP), resulting in inconsistent compliance with Speech Pathology feeding recommendations.
To address these issues, Speech Pathology developed an in-service education program aimed at increasing understanding of infant feeding, highlighting red flags for problems, and sharing current EBP strategies that support early feeding development. This education session was positively received by SCN staff and has been re-presented several times.
As a result, nursing staff now have increased awareness of EBP strategies and can choose to introduce techniques such as elevated side lying or slower flow teats without referral to Speech Pathology. They also have access to resources to support the introduction of these strategies, including appropriate teats. The impact of this education has been significant, potentially leading to earlier transitions to full oral feeding, shorter lengths of stay, or avoided referrals to Speech Pathology. Additionally, there has been an increase in appropriate referrals and improved adherence to recommendations.
Moving forward, the team plans to develop an online module for staff education and establish SCN Guidelines for feeding preterm infants when introducing bottle feeding. These steps aim to further enhance the quality of care and outcomes for neonates in the SCN.