Determinants of Length of Stay after Neonatal Cardiac Surgery Using Path Analysis

Creator(s)

Lori A. Erickson, University of Missouri-Kansas CityFollow
Amy Ricketts, Children's Mercy Kansas CityFollow
Tara Swanson
Julie Weiner, Children's Mercy HospitalFollow
Usman Hasnie, University of Alabama, Birmingham
Katherine Bonessa, Children's Mercy Kansas City
Janelle R. Noel-Macdonnell PhD, Children's Mercy HospitalFollow
Cynthia L. Russell, University of Missouri - Kansas City

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-2023

Identifier

doi.org/10.1177/01939459221129037

Abstract

After neonatal cardiac surgery, families, and the health care team strive for exclusive oral feedings before hospital discharge. With the hypothesis that exclusive oral feedings would reduce the length of stay (LOS), a multidimensional path analysis was used to examine a cross-section of 280 neonates from 2009 to 2013. Buttigieg, Abela, and Pace’s theoretical framework of structural and process-related determinants of LOS was modeled with hypothesis-driven correlation and directionality. The recursive path model had a good global and local fit with outcome variances of 26% for exclusive oral feeding and LOS. In the full cohort and model groups (single and biventricular), when controlling for covariances: sepsis, birth distance, necrotizing enterocolitis, genetic differences, specialty consults, the age at which neonatal cardiac surgery occurred (β = .23, p ≤ .001) and the duration of postoperative intubation (β = .47, p ≤ .001) more significantly influenced the LOS than intermediate mediation of exclusive oral feedings at discharge.

Journal Title

Western Journal of Nursing Research

Volume

45

Issue

4

First Page

306

Last Page

315

Keywords

cardiology; enteral nutrition; length of stay; path analysis; pediatric

Recommended Citation

Erickson LA, Ricketts A, Swanson T, et al. Determinants of Length of Stay after Neonatal Cardiac Surgery Using Path Analysis. West J Nurs Res. 2023;45(4):306-315. doi:10.1177/01939459221129037