[Parenteral nutrition in neonatal units: a survey of current practices in Poland].

UNLABELLED: The aim of the study was to assess parenteral nutrition methods in neonatal units in Poland. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Large scale questionnaire investigations concerning parenteral nutrition (PN) were carried out in neonatological centres in Poland. The questionnaires were distributed in the year 2007 to 463 wards. Three hundred and two neonatal wards (NW) and pediatric intensive care units (PICU) responded (65.2% response rate). RESULTS: The investigation revealed that only 129 NW (48%) and 27 PICU (96% PICU) of the studied neonatal units (156 centres - 52% of responders) declared PN as a method of treatment. Nutritional teams are rare (20% of NW and 35% PICU) and hospital pharmacy was very rarely involved in preparing nutritional mixtures (11% NW and 22% PICU). More than half of NW and nearly 30% of paediatric intensive care units (PICU) use inappropriately concentrated lipid emulsions. One third of NW do not use obligatory for children (particularly neonates) volumetric infusion pumps. Mean time of umbilical artery access was twice as long as recommended. Majority of centres regard the level of training in parenteral nutrition as insufficient. CONCLUSION: Assessment of parenteral nutrition practices in neonates in Poland revealed that significant number of centres did not follow the recommendations and that there is need for training and organization activities to improve the quality of current PN practices.