Improving the effectiveness of aEEG monitoring: a novel CFM observation chart and a care bundle approach

Cerebral function monitoring (CFM) has become standard practice in monitoring infants with suspected encephalopathy in the UK, yet there are no standard recommendations of practice to ensure that continuous amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) is as regularly monitored as other parameters in the neonatal intensive care setting. In this article, we present a simple intervention combining human factor principles and quality improvement (QI) methods to ensure regular timely review and documentation to improve the effectiveness of aEEG monitoring with a clear process of escalating concerns.

Helen Doyle
Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioner

Bharat Vakharia
Neonatal Consultant

Claudia Chetcuti Ganado
Neonatal Consultant
claudia.chetcutiganado@ldh.nhs.uk

Neonatal Unit, Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Doyle H., Vakharia B., Chetcuti Ganado C. Improving the effectiveness of aEEG monitoring: a novel CFM observation chart and a care bundle approach. Infant 2023; 19(4): 127-32.

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Keywords

aEEG; hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy; cerebral function monitoring; neonatal encephalopathy; aEEG observation chart

Key points

Despite widespread use, there are no standardised guidelines to monitor and record aEEG at the bedside, leading to potential for delayed recognition of neonatal seizures.
We propose a novel aEEG observation chart and a care bundle approach to the monitoring of infants on aEEG.
Using simple QI and human factor methodologies, we ensure that aEEG is reviewed and recorded hourly.

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