What's new in the "NICU Nutrition Calculator" update 2

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Click here to watch walk-through videos of the version 2.0 of the app.

Four main changes are:

1. Easier selection of formulas: The original version of the app had a long list of formulas in scroll wheel. With this update selecting formula at a specific concentration is much easier. First you first select the formula name in the first scroll wheel and then select the desired concentration from the second scroll wheel. The second scroll wheel will only load concentrations available for each specific formula.

2. Ability to add formulas to BM based group or to custom formulas: Follow this link for instructions.

YOU MUST SYNC YOU DEVICE WITH iTUNES SO THAT BACK-UP OF YOUR CUSTOM LIST IS SAVED.

3. Edit composition of BM-based or Custom formulas: follow this link for instructions.

4. Set up preferences: There is a wide variability in how TPN is ordered in different NICUs. This form allows you to specify how you would like to enter values and how calculations are performed. You must set preferences in Help menu before you use the app. 

There are three items in this form:

a. Calculation of total fluids when baby is on combined feeds and TPN intake.

aa. Select first segment if, in you NICU, TPN + IL are ordered for the entire total fluid volume. Actual amount of TPN baby receives in this case depends on how much feeds baby is on. TPN volume is reduced by the corresponding amount.

bb. Select second segment if in your nursery feed volume is calculated for the day and TPN + IL is ordered for the remainder of total fluids. In this case entire TPN volume is delivered to the baby.
For example: Say you have a baby who is on total fluids of 160cc/kg/d of which 50ml/kg/d are feeds. Select option aa (first segment) if you would write TPN+IL for volume of 160cc/kg/d. Select option bb (second segment) f you would write TPN+IL for a volume of 110cc/kg/d (160 - 50). 

b. Glucose entry: select whether you will enter glucose as % or as GIR i.e. glucose infusion rate

c. Feed volume: select whether you will enter feed volume as ml/day or ml/kg/d.

Other improvements in the app are:

1. Inclusion of feeding formulas made by Nestle Nutrition and Prolacta Bioscience.
2. Calculation of PE ratio when baby is on full feeds.

3. Calculation of iron intake.

4. Tailor the list of formulas under each segment selection. Go to Help menu, touch manage formulas, select the specific type of formula and in the next screen touch the “check mark” button or the button titled “Select”. All the formulas in that category will be loaded in the table. You can touch and uncheck formulas that you want to remove from the list (“check mark” will be removed from those formulas) and then touch “Done”. When you next go to the feeds entry screen formulas which you un-selected will not clutter up the list.