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ForwardDr. Nirmala Desai Neonatal Nutrition Symposium
Thursday, November 5, 2026, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm ET (check-in and breakfast begin at 8:15 am)
Karpf Auditorium, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, and virtual via livestream
This one-day symposium brings together national experts in neonatal nutrition to review current evidence and practical strategies for feeding, growth, and nutrition assessment of preterm and high-risk infants. Sessions cover mother's own milk at NICU discharge, neonatal malnutrition criteria, optimal preterm growth, novel feeding practices for human milk-fed preterm infants, and nutrition care for infants of diabetic mothers.
Fee: Free. Please register by November 2, 2026 so we can plan catering. Credit must be claimed by January 4, 2027.
Commercial support: None. This activity is funded by the Dr. Nirmala Desai endowment.
Target Audience
Neonatologists, pediatricians, NICU nurses, neonatal and pediatric dietitians, pharmacists, and other members of the NICU care team.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this symposium, participants will be able to:
- Evaluate current evidence-based nutrition practices for preterm and high-risk neonatal populations, including the use of maternal milk, donor milk, and specialized feeding strategies.
- Describe factors influencing growth, body composition, and nutritional outcomes in preterm infants and apply best practices for growth monitoring and assessment.
- Identify common barriers to successful human milk feeding and breastfeeding in the NICU and implement strategies to improve maternal milk provision through hospital discharge.
- Describe nutrition management considerations for specialized neonatal populations, including infants of diabetic mothers and infants with complex medical conditions.
- Analyze the strengths and limitations of current neonatal malnutrition diagnostic criteria and identify opportunities to improve nutritional assessment and clinical decision-making.
- Integrate emerging clinical research and innovative feeding practices into multidisciplinary neonatal care to support improved growth, health outcomes, and family-centered care.
Course summary
- 5.00 ACPE
In support of improving patient care, UK HealthCare CECentral is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
This knowledge-based activity will award 5.00 contact hour(s) (0.100 CEUs) of continuing pharmacy education credit in states that recognize ACPE providers. Course JA-UAN Number: JA0000312-0000-26-076-L01-P
- 5.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
In support of improving patient care, UK HealthCare CECentral is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
This Live activity is designated for a maximum of 5.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
- 5.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ Participation
In support of improving patient care, UK HealthCare CECentral is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
This Live activity is designated for a maximum of 5.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ Participation. Learners should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
- 5.00 ANCC (UK Healthcare CECentral)
In support of improving patient care, UK HealthCare CECentral is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
The maximum number of hours awarded for this Continuing Nursing Education activity is 5.00 nursing contact hour(s).
- 5.00 Dietitians (UK HealthCare CECentral)
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, UK HealthCare CECentral is approved to offer dietetic continuing education by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. UK HealthCare CECentral maintains responsibility for this course.
This program has been approved for 0.5 CPEU(s).
| Time | Session | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 8:15 - 9:00 am | Check-in and breakfast | |
| 9:00 - 9:15 am | Welcome | |
| 9:15 - 10:15 am | Optimizing Mother's Own Milk at NICU Discharge: Importance, Barriers and Clinical Strategies | Eka Akinola, MD |
| 10:15 - 11:15 am | Neonatal Malnutrition Criteria: Has it really helped NICU infants? | Jacqueline Wessel, MEd, RDN |
| 11:15 - 11:30 am | Break | |
| 11:30 am - 12:30 pm | Defining optimal preterm infant growth | Tanis Fenton, PhD, RD |
| 12:30 - 2:00 pm | Lunch and networking | |
| 2:00 - 3:00 pm | Novel NICU Feeding Practices to Improve Outcomes in Human Milk-Fed Infants Born Preterm | Ariel Salas, MD, MSPH |
| 3:00 - 4:00 pm | Nutrition Care for Infants of Diabetic Mothers | Sharon Groh-Wargo, PhD, RDN |
Faculty
- Eka Akinola, MD - Ascension St. Vincent, Indianapolis
- Jacqueline Wessel, MEd, RDN - Cincinnati Children's
- Tanis Fenton, PhD, RD - University of Calgary
- Ariel Salas, MD, MSPH - University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Sharon Groh-Wargo, PhD, RDN - Case Western Reserve University / MetroHealth
Planning committee
- Mina Hanna, MD
- Erin Freeman, RD, LD
- Karen Garlitz, PharmD
- Kayla Willett, RN
In support of improving patient care, University of Kentucky HealthCare CECentral is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Physicians: UK HealthCare CECentral designates this live activity for a maximum of 5.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Nurses: The maximum number of hours awarded for this Continuing Nursing Education activity is 5.0 nursing contact hours.
Pharmacists: This Knowledge activity will award 5.0 contact hours (0.5 CEUs) of continuing pharmacy education credit in states that recognize ACPE providers. UAN: JA0000312-0000-26-076-L01-P
Dietitians: Registered Dietitians (RDs) and Dietetic Technicians, Registered (DTRs) will receive 5.0 continuing professional education units (CPEUs) for completion of this activity.
Available Credit
- 5.00 ACPE
In support of improving patient care, UK HealthCare CECentral is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
This knowledge-based activity will award 5.00 contact hour(s) (0.100 CEUs) of continuing pharmacy education credit in states that recognize ACPE providers. Course JA-UAN Number: JA0000312-0000-26-076-L01-P
- 5.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
In support of improving patient care, UK HealthCare CECentral is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
This Live activity is designated for a maximum of 5.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
- 5.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ Participation
In support of improving patient care, UK HealthCare CECentral is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
This Live activity is designated for a maximum of 5.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ Participation. Learners should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
- 5.00 ANCC (UK Healthcare CECentral)
In support of improving patient care, UK HealthCare CECentral is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
The maximum number of hours awarded for this Continuing Nursing Education activity is 5.00 nursing contact hour(s).
- 5.00 Dietitians (UK HealthCare CECentral)
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, UK HealthCare CECentral is approved to offer dietetic continuing education by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. UK HealthCare CECentral maintains responsibility for this course.
This program has been approved for 0.5 CPEU(s).
Registration is free. Please register by November 2, 2026 so we can plan catering. When you register, choose whether you will attend in person or virtually.
In-person: Karpf Auditorium, University of Kentucky. Check-in and breakfast begin at 8:15 am. Breakfast and lunch are provided; note any dietary restrictions when you register.
Virtual: The livestream link will be emailed to registered virtual participants before the event.
After the symposium, log in to cme.cecentral.com, go to My Activities, and complete the evaluation to claim your credit. Credit must be claimed by January 4, 2027. Questions? Contact CECentral at (859) 257-5320.