Translation and study of the measurement properties of the Early Feeding Skills Assessment tool in premature newborn

Abstract

Introduction: With the aim of improving the care of the premature newborn during their hospital stay, and their well-being in the transition from enteral to independent feeding, it is proposed to incorporate an assessment system within a Spanish Neonatal Unit. The translation of the Early Feeding Skills Assessment (EFSA) tool is presented, along with a study of its measurement properties.

Patients and method: A total of 104 assessments were made on premature babies of less than 34 + 6 weeks of gestational age, admitted to the neonatal unit with total or partial feeding, including a normal neurological examination for their age and with physiological stability.

Results: The EFSA 2010 tool achieved an acceptable value (0.76) as regards its internal consistency. The EFSA 2018 tool maintained an acceptable internal consistency value (0.751). As regards the reliability between two observers, the results showed a satisfactory and excellent reliability in 57.69% of the items in the EFSA 2010 tool, a property that improved in the EFSA 2018 tool (73.68%).

Conclusions: The Spanish version of the EFSA tool is consistent and reliable for use as a tool for the assessment of oral abilities for feeding premature babies admitted into a Spanish Neonatal Unit.

Keywords: Alimentación; Feeding; Neonatal intensive care unit; Premature; Prematuro; Unidad neonatal de cuidados intensivos.