Abstract 1632

In our NICU, nurses have measured CRCTs (volume % of cream in milk) to estimate the total lipid concentration and caloric density of freshly expressed own mother's milk (OMM). With mothers assuming a more active role in infant care, especially with breastfeeding, their ability to perform CRCTs would provide a unique caregiving opportunity.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the comparability of mothers' and nurses' CRCT measures when the nurses' values are used as the standard.

Method: Twenty-six different mothers and four nurses participated in this two phase double-blind trial. For phase one, mothers were taught to perform CRCTs by one of two nurses, using a standardized checklist. For phase two, one of a second set of two nurses and each mother independently performed a CRCT on the same OMM sample within 30 minutes of expression. Each mother processed her own milk. A pilot study to compare CRCT measures obtained on the two centrifuges used for the whole study and the two nurses participating in phase two demonstrated no differences.

Statistics: t-tests were used to test the null hypotheses that mothers' and the nurse standard CRCT measures are equal.

Results: The mean difference between mothers' CRCTs measures and the nurse standard was 0.22 (sd 0.82, 95% C.I. -0.11 to 0.55, p>0.05), with minimum and maximum differences of -1.0%CRCT and 2.5% CRCT, respectively. More than 80% of the observed absolute differences between mother's and nurses' measurements were ≤1.0% CRCT, and a strong linear association between the measures was observed (r=0.96, p<0.0001).

Conclusions: CRCT measures determined by mothers are comparable to those of the nurses' standard value.

Implications: These findings indicate that mothers can be taught to perform CRCTs comparable to nurses allowing these mothers the opportunity to participate more fully in their baby's care. This has potential to allow nurses more time for other nursing activities.