Effect of different positions on gastric residuals in preterm infants initiating full enteral feeding.

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to determine the effect of feeding in different positions on the gastric residual volume after feeding in preterm infants who initiated full enteral feeding. METHODS: This quasi-experimental study was conducted with the hypothesis that testing the right lateral position leads to less gastric residual than left lateral position and the prone position leads to less gastric residual than the supine position. The data were collected in four stages from 35 preterm infants. Initially, the infants were positioned in supine position and were fed. After feeding, the infant rested in the supine position for 3 h. The stomach content was aspirated, and the volume of gastric residual was measured at the 60th, 120th, and 180th min after feeding. These steps are repeated in order of in the right lateral, left lateral, and prone position. Total gastric residual volume and type of enteral feeding were evaluated. RESULTS: There was no significant difference among the positions in terms of the volume of gastric residuals in the measurements made at 60th (P = 9.552), 120th (P = .505), and 180th min (P = .430). When the amount of decrease in the gastric residual volumes was a significant difference between all measurement times in right lateral and prone positions (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Although no significant difference was determined between the positions, the smallest residual volumes were determined in the right lateral and prone positions. The amount of decrease in residual volume was significant in right lateral and prone positions.

The Evaluation of Oral Feeding in Preterm Infants: Turkish Validation of the Early Feeding Skills Assessment Tool.

OBJECTIVE: The Early Feeding Skills Assessment Tool (EFS) is a valid and reliable tool for evaluating preterm infants' oral feeding skills and readiness during the transition to oral feeding. There is currently no instrument with tested validity and reliability available to evaluate the oral feeding skills and readiness of preterm infants in Turkey. The aim of this study was to fill the need for such an instrument for use in the Turkish population by adapting and validating the EFS for the assessment of Turkish preterm infants during the transition to oral feeding. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This methodological, cross-sectional study included 107 preterm infants. Validity of the EFS-Turkish was tested with linguistic, content, and construct validity analyses, and its reliability was tested using internal consistency and item analyses. RESULTS: A panel of experts confirmed the content validity of the items in the EFS-Turkish (content validity index = 0.97). Cronbach's alpha for the total instrument was 0.95, supporting its internal consistency reliability. Item-total correlations ranged from 0.58 to 0.83 (P < .001). Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the established EFS structure of 19 items and 5 factors. The tool demonstrated good model fit statistics (χ2/df = 2.24; P < .001). CONCLUSION: The EFS-Turkish is a valid and reliable instrument for use in neonatal intensive care units to evaluate the feeding skills of preterm infants during the transition to oral feeding. The use of the EFS-Turkish is recommended to facilitate the safe and successful development of preterm infants' oral feeding skills and to plan evidence-based initiatives.