NICU: Length of stay 109 days for technology-dependent babies at Rainbow Babies & Children’s

What is this study? A retrospective medical record review for 93 babies discharged from NICU at one hospital.

More about it: Researchers studied the care needed by babies who were discharged home from the neonatal intensive care unit at Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital (Cleveland) during a recent two- year period.  Data on 71 babies who were technology dependent were compared with 22 who were not.  Here are some findings:

Technology-Dependent Newborns Discharged from NICU

• 66 percent needed supplemental oxygen at home
• 46 percent needed feeding tubes at home
• 16 percent needed tracheostomy at home
• 16 percent needed mechanical ventilation at home

Newborns discharged home dependent on technology had an initial stay in the NICU of about 109 days compared to about 26 days for those discharged home non-dependent on technology.

Hospital readmission risk indicators for the technology-dependent group included: being female, having a gastrostomy tube or having initial lengthy NICU stay.

Sources:

NICU-t0-home transition can be tricky. (2016, June). Managed Care, 25(6), 8.  Click here: http://www.managedcaremag.com/archives/2016/6/nicu-home-transition-can-be-tricky

Toly, V.B., and others. (2016, June 7). Neonates and infants discharged home dependent on medical technology: Characteristics and outcomes. Advances in Neonatal Care,   Click here:  http://journals.lww.com/advancesinneonatalcare/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=9000&issue=00000&article=99928&type=abstract