HighCensus

HighCensus has 9 years experience and specializes in neonatal.

Latest Activity

1. Looking to change our current practice regarding OG/NG tubes.

   HighCensus replied to beashers's topic in NICU

   We have three sizes of OG/NG 5 fr, 6.5 fr, and 8 fr. We choose the size depending on the patient's weight. We use the tube for both venting and feeding. If a patient has a 5 or 6.5 fr we will often pull air off q3-4 hours. We also use 8 or 10 fr repl...

2. Baths on your unit

   HighCensus replied to debstmomy's topic in NICU

   I just got done developing guidelines for the use of bathtubs in our NICU in conjunction with infection control. Most evidence based information is going to be against the use of bath tubs. Because of our unique population in my unit we worked on gui...

3. HFOV/Jet orientation

   HighCensus replied to nurserynurse55's topic in NICU

   We rarely use the jet...but our orientees get experience with HFOV while on orientation. As a preceptor you request your patient assignments and that is one of the areas we train our orientees in. Orientees also spend 4hrs with one of our RT's going ...

4. How big is your "unit"?

   HighCensus replied to BiologyNerd's topic in NICU

   I think we are still considered a 65 bed unit...although it should be changing as we have expanded. We have 64 bed spaces (8 bed spaces in 8 pods), 5 private rooms, a ten bed "stepdown" unit, and a ten bed "micro-preemie" area. Our census has been 80...

5. Geez...quit having babies already!!

   HighCensus replied to BittyBabyGrower's topic in NICU

   Lately we've all been having dreams of putting our kids in bunkbed bassinettes. All jokes aside our census was 80 on Sunday. We are currently working with 37-40 nurses per shift. Amid all this fun and excitement we have went to ECMO in the unit, elec...

6. Parents that make you go MMMMrgh!

   HighCensus replied to danissa's topic in NICU

   I have been in this situation before and can sympathize. I would tactfully remind the family that this was an intensive care unit. I would then explain to the parents that little [EVIL]Damien's[/EVIL] behavior was loud and disruptive to the other pat...

7. low census?

   HighCensus replied to littlepeach's topic in NICU

   I think our unit has forgotten what low census is. We have had to make major renovations to expand our unit due to our prolonged high census. We were technically a 65 bed unit and I know last weekend we had 82 patients. The second phase of our expans...

8. Minimal stimulation/IVH protocol

   HighCensus posted a topic in NICU

   Does anyone have a policy for minimal stimulation/IVH protocol that they would be interested in sharing? Would love to gather some evidence-based information if possible. Thanks.

9. Who runs your ECMO pumps?

   HighCensus replied to elizabells's topic in NICU

   For our team there are two purposes to mobile ECMO: 1) If we receive a referring call for a patient who is too unstable for conventional transport it allows our team to go to the referring hospital, cannulate there, then transport the patient on ECMO...

10. Who runs your ECMO pumps?

    HighCensus replied to elizabells's topic in NICU

    "Mobile ECMO" is basically the ability to transport patients while on an ECMO circuit. I don't know the latest data but as of April 2006 Arkansas Children's Hospital was one of only three institutions in the United States to offer air transport of cr...

11. Who runs your ECMO pumps?

    HighCensus replied to elizabells's topic in NICU

    Arkansas Children's Hospital uses RN's and RT's as ECMO pump techs. We are required to have ICU experience and to complete extensive training as we may be required to work in NICU, CVICU, or PICU. I am currently in the middle of training to work on a...

12. Surfactant question

    HighCensus posted a topic in NICU

    We are updating our policies and procedures and are currently looking at our policy for surfactant administration. One of our NNP's mentioned that she had read somewhere that it is no longer necessary to change the baby's position (right side down, l...

13. Is your NICU slow or busy?

    HighCensus replied to MA Nurse's topic in NICU

    We are busting at the seams and have been for quite a while. Our census has been 70+ and we have even seen 80+. And right now our acuity level is way up. We are staffing sometimes with upwards of 40 nurses. Just this last weekend we had two pts on EC...

14. Visitation and family centered care

    HighCensus posted a topic in NICU

    In the interests of family centered care we are reviewing our policy on the visitation of grandparents and siblings. We are interested in how other units approach this. Question #1: Are grandparents and/or siblings limited to certain hours for visita...