Designing a new nursing related course. What an opportunity; design a course that I feel will be beneficial to nursing students for the next decade. I can think of a few that I would like to redesign, but starting from scratch, oh my!
I have been a nurse for almost 40 years; now this I cannot believe. I still enjoy caring for my patients in the Neonatal ICU (NICU) and forming relationships with their families. This area of nursing is seldom covered in nursing school; they do touch on newborn care. So, I am leaning towards a course that goes into more detail in the care of a premature or ill newborn. They frequently start out in the newborn nursery, but soon are transferred to the NICU when complications are detected.
The Late preterm or Near term newborn is a group of newborns of major concern these days with the increased number of babies that are born in this gray area between premature and term; 35-38 weeks gestation. Usually newborns 35 weeks or older are given a chance to "prove themselves" in the newborn nursery. All this means is that they are monitored more closely and given the chance to prove that they can maintain their temperature, feed adequately and not lose more than 9 % of their birth weight by 3 days of life.
This is sounding more promising already. I am eager to begin this assignment. Check out these website for information regarding this newly designated population.
http://www.uptodate.com/contents/late-preterm-infants
http://preemies.about.com/od/preemiehealthproblems/a/LatePretermBirth.htm
Hi Kathy! In all of my years working in the newborn nursery setting, I had never heard the terms "late preterm." I am anxiously awaiting to read more information on a subject that is near and dear to my heart!
ReplyDeleteTeddie