DOI

10.21007/con.dnp.2025.0111

Faculty Advisor

Bobby Bellflower, DNSc, NNP-BC, FAANP

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

Spring 4-28-2025

Disciplines

Family Medicine | Health and Medical Administration | Investigative Techniques | Maternal, Child Health and Neonatal Nursing | Medicine and Health Sciences | Nursing | Nursing Administration | Nursing Midwifery | Obstetrics and Gynecology | Pediatric Nursing | Pediatrics | Quality Improvement

Abstract

Purpose/Background

Infants admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) are critically ill and at risk of increased infections, developmental delays, and higher readmission rates after discharging due to complex health needs when compared to healthy term newborns. Nutrition has been widely recognized as an important predictor of readmission and developmental delay. However, current practice often does not provide any screening for food insecurity (FI) in NICU families, which assumes security and displays a gap in care surrounding discharge planning. This quality improvement project implements the use of an FI screening tool for NICU families to help practitioners identify FI as a modifiable risk factor for hospital readmission and adverse outcomes.

Methods

The use of an FI screening tool was implemented over a 2-month period from October 1, 2024 to November 30, 2024 in the NICU at a large level III community hospital in Nashville, TN. All parents and legal caregivers (age 18 or older) of NICU infants were requested to complete a three-question food insecurity screening tool and return it anonymously to a designated submission box at the unit’s check-in desk. In addition, a second box of local food resources was placed in the same location to facilitate ease of access for families desiring resource provision. Bedside nurses were asked to inform parents and legal caregivers of the purpose of the food insecurity tool and the availability of resources.

Results

A total of 32 NICU families returned the anonymous FI screening tool, which included basic demographic data collection. 25% of NICU families identified as food insecure.

Implications for Nursing Practice

This quality improvement project demonstrates a significant proportion of NICU infants may be discharged to food insecure homes. Current practice often neglects to conduct screening and food resource provision. However, routine FI screening practices for NICU families would help identify infants at risk for nutrition-related adverse health outcomes.

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