• S L Smith and K T Kirchhoff.
• University of Utah College of Nursing, USA.
• J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 1997 May 1;26(3):297-302.

ObjectiveTo describe the current practice of neonatal nurse practitioners in assessing skeletal health and preventing and treating metabolic bone disease in very-low-birth-weight infants.DesignDescriptive, retrospective survey.ParticipantsNeonatal nurse practitioners in the continental United States were systematically randomly selected. A 64% response rate was obtained (112).Main Outcome MeasuresResponses to questions about assessing skeletal health and preventing and treating metabolic bone disease in very-low-birth-weight infants.ResultsCurrent practice of neonatal nurse practitioners includes assessing skeletal health of very-low-birth-weight infants on the 7th (47.3%) or 14th (19.6%) day of life, with subsequent assessments every 7 (63.3%) or 14 (18.8%) days. Neonatal nurse practitioners (85.1%) estimate the incidence of metabolic bone disease at less than 15%. Neonatal nurse practitioners initiate total parenteral nutrition (99%), provide parenteral calcium and phosphorous in ratios of 1.3-1.7:1 (9%), and add powdered fortifier (90.1%) and liquid fortifier (25.2%) to expressed breast milk. All respondents use formulas made for premature infants. Physical therapy is used by 46.8% of neonatal nurse practitioners.ConclusionsNeonatal nurse practitioners underestimate the incidence of metabolic bone disease. Parenteral calcium and phosphorous are given but in quantities that differ from the recommended ratio. Most neonatal nurse practitioners use formulas made for premature infants and add powdered fortifier to expressed breast milk. Although physical therapy is prescribed, more research on its effect on bone mineralization is warranted before this practice is recommended without reservation.

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