Enteral Nutrition in Preterm Infants: ESPGHAN Recommendations (FutureLearn)

The ESPGHAN CoN (Committee of Nutrition) provides key recommendations that you can take into practice and use to improve clinical care.
You’ll hear directly from neonatal specialists through a variety of media, including case studies, to ensure you finish the course with a sound understanding of enteral nutrition in preterm infants.

Delve into nutrient intake requirements
You’ll start by exploring nutrient intake recommendations including energy, protein, electrolytes, and vitamins.
Whilst investigating the evidence base for nutrient groups, you’ll also be introduced to other common practices, such as feeding modes and growth assessment..

Explore case studies in neonatal care
Unpacking further case studies, you’ll develop the skills to help you compare and contrast your own clinical practice, supported by expert input and the ESPGHAN CoN recommendations.
With this knowledge, you’ll be able to explain areas of uncertainty, such as where evidence-based is too limited to make a firm recommendation.

Develop your understanding of infant nutrition
During the final week of the course, you’ll discover the importance of involving parents and carers in preterm nutrition.
Hearing from personal experiences, you’ll explore breast milk fortification, donor human milk, supplemental bionutrients, and learn how to conduct a holistic assessment of nutritional status.
By the end of the course, you’ll have the knowledge and skills to deliver more effective care in your clinical neonatal practice.

Syllabus

Week 1: Macronutrients
Week 2: Vitamins, minerals and micronutrients
Week 3: Water-soluble vitamins, feeding mode and growth
Week 4: Working with parents and carers

What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

• Debate areas of uncertainty e.g., where evidence base is too limited to make firm recommendations.
• Describe the risks and benefits of nutrient intakes.
• Demonstrate interpretation of growth and a practical approach to assessment of nutritional status in the clinic.
• Describe how the level of evidence and grade of recommendation are defined and applied to the evidence base.
• Discuss how to adopt a practical approach to clinical challenges.
• Demonstrate factual understanding of recommended nutritional intakes and acceptable ranges.

Who is the course for?
This course is designed for doctors and dieticians working in neonatal units.
It will also be useful for medical staff, students, nursing staff, pharmacists, and dietetic students.