And the award for most asked question goes to...

Specialties NICU

Published

What is/are the one or two questions you get asked most by parents in the NICU?

For me, the hands down winner is "What's his weight today??". Not "is he doing ok?" or "what are his chances at survival?" It's forever the darned weight question.

What is it about parents that make them want to know the baby's weight down to the gram? Quit asking that! He gained 3 grams.

I know, I know...it's all they know to ask. But I wish someone clever would start a trend of asking about poop or something else besides weight. :)

Specializes in retired LTC.

YES! Weight is a concrete measurable number that leaves no one guessing.

Not at all subjective like, "Honey, do I look fat?". Even if you weigh 110 lbs but have a big booty you don't want to hear "you look fine". Too subjective.

And weight gain is considered a POSITIVE, reassuring standard for improving health status which is what parents are so desirous of.

Makes sense to me!

1 Votes
Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.

Yes, but if you just asked the weight 3 hours ago...

1 Votes
Specializes in retired LTC.
Bortaz, RN said:
Yes, but if you just asked the weight 3 hours ago...

Yeah - there's a problem there.

1 Votes

When my son was in the RNICU and the CICU, I was always super worried about his weight, because the lower his weigh got, the sicker he became and was more likely to get infections. I asked at every bath and bed change. I would also ask every morning how the night went to check on his sats, heart rate, bp, etc.

1 Votes
Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

Parents are so scared, I think they just don't know what to ask. Also, they have other family members asking them for info, so the wt is something they can share. Our families have a rough time, that's for sure. Might seem like we're joking abt it, but we do understand!

1 Votes

#1 would definitely be about weight, which I totally understand.

Also,

"What's his oxygen at?" (FiO2)

"Did he poop today?"

"When can he take a bottle?" (NPO kid)

"Has he been crying?"

1 Votes
Specializes in Psychiatry.

I am NOT a NICU nurse.. just wanted to send kudos to all of you that are. You are angels in my book!:nurse:

Diane

1 Votes
Specializes in Critical Care, Clinical Documentation Specialist.

I'm sure I was one of those parents who asked that question on a daily basis. My son was a 30wk preemie and in the NICU for 2 months (hydrops fetalis). I was nowhere near nursing at the time and the weight question was the only thing I could really understand or relate to. He lost 2.5lbs of his 5.5lbs with the diuretics and so I was desperate to see him gain even an ounce or two.

Thankfully, my son is now a healthy and strong 15.5 year old.

1 Votes
Calabria said:

The answer that I'm tempted to give on the most stressful days, but don't: Tapdancing, hula hooping, jumping rope, doing gymnastics, reciting poetry.

??

1 Votes
Specializes in Public Health, L&D, NICU.
prmenrs said:
I like that question best when the OB hasn't even cut the cord yet. Or when you're doing chest compressions.

Yes, this!! I used to just be amazed at the people that thought I had scales built in to my hands. Let me make sure the kid is going to live, and then we will talk about weight. And you forgot the all-time worst one: How do I get a DNA test?

1 Votes
Specializes in Public Health, L&D, NICU.
Calabria said:
When Mom/Dad/grandparents call for an update: "What's the baby doing right now?"

The answer that I usually give, since it's true most of the time (especially for our littlest ones): He/she's sleeping/resting quietly right now...

The answer that I'm tempted to give on the most stressful days, but don't: Tapdancing, hula hooping, jumping rope, doing gymnastics, reciting poetry.

Don't forget: knitting with his lines, yanking his PICC line out, attempting to shoot poop all the way to the top of the isolette, and turning somersaults. I miss premies!

1 Votes
Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.

We had a 23 weeker whose mom drove us crazy asking if we could move her baby into an open crib (baby on HFJV, iNo, etc...) every day, multiple times a day. One of our neos finally reprimanded her and forbade her to ask that question until her original due date.

To be fair, I think the mom was a bit MR. She asked, while rooming in on the night before they were to discharge, "Why does everyone say not to shake my baby? Why can't I shake him if he's misbehaving?". This, of course, delayed the discharge and got social services involved. I had the baby assigned to me the 2nd time we tried rooming in. I sent the mom home and took the baby back to NICU around midnight after the third time telling her not to be sleeping with the baby in the bed with her.

This kid was back in our ped dept about a year later with RSV & Flu A. The mom sent a message asking me to come see the baby. He was an emaciated wreck. I was furious, but CPS FINALLY stepped in when we called them.

1 Votes
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