Course Title MSNC 511 – Evidence Based Practice: Role of Theory and Research

Course Project Necrotizing Enterocolitis: Can Probiotics Help?

Competency Health Science Knowledge and Skills

I completed a project focusing on Necrotizing Enterocolitis for my course that studied evidence-

based practice. For the project, I chose a healthcare topic and researched what evidence existed for a

potential change in practice. More specifically, my project focused on potentially administering probiotics

to neonatal intensive care unit infants to prevent necrotizing enterocolitis. I found several articles that

explored this topic. I analyzed these articles based on rigorous criteria that investigated what conclusions

were drawn and the strength of those conclusions. The peer-reviewed articles that I reviewed for the

project revealed that the development of a feeding protocol that includes probiotics is one worthy of

pursuing.

Completing the project allowed me to study healthcare delivery systems in a way unique to a

specific intervention. I had to extract relevant information from sources that relied on thorough research

and data. Synthesizing all of the collected knowledge allowed me to arrive at a potential research study

that could further explore improving outcomes for preterm neonates through the purposeful

administration of probiotics. By allowing me to find an area for research, understand the current body of

literature on that topic, and assess how best it could be utilized, the project facilitated my satisfaction of

the Health Science Knowledge and Skills Competency.