Patient weights were obtained pre-intervention and post-intervention and Z-score improvements were compared to a control group from the same Children’s Hospital Outpatient Clinic population. For each child diagnosed with “failure to thrive” a detailed handout was given including amount and frequency for feeds as well as an optional feeding calendar. Methods: In the Children’s Hospital Outpatient clinic, residents were educated on failure to thrive resources. Project Aim: The aim of this quality improvement project is to improve Z-score in infants and toddlers post-intervention by 10% through written feeding instructions provided to parents. When proper parent education is given, extensive lab workups can be avoided.
At the state level, Rhode Island did manage the crisis relatively better.įailure to Thrive: A Quality Improvement Project to Improve Z-scores through Parental Educationīackground: Up to 80 % of failure to thrive has nonorganic causes such as underfeeding or incorrect formula mixing. I also found that while UofSC had less strict policies than the University of Rhode Island, our cases numbers were only significantly higher a limited number of times. I found that across the board redundancies were instituted to make sure that even though two practices didn’t need to occur if one was not followed, the other was still in place to protect the public.
I found myself comparing what I learned from the medical directors in Rhode Island to the guidance being provided by the university, city, and state.
It was fascinating to be able to be in the room having discussions about the best way to reopen schools while knowing that 700 miles away, the same conversations were being held about Carolina. Part of my duties was to be in attendance for the biweekly White House Covid-19 task force reporting call with state, local, and tribal leaders and to provide a summary to the SDCoS. I was part of the governor’s team evaluating the 13 institutions of higher education’s reopening plans and was tasked with backgrounding for her k-12 reopening plan based on current medical and governmental guidance. As a returning intern for the State House, my position in the office allowed me to work directly for then-Governor Gina Raimondo’s senior deputy chief of staff. The summer of 2020 was not normal for anyone and that was no different in the Office of Governor of Rhode Island.