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 NICU, telemetry.

The weight question, as well. Or when their intubated baby will get to "try a bottle", or as someone mentioned, the circ question!

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.

In 4 years, we've only had maybe 3-4 babies circ'd down here on the Mexican border, so I've never gotten that question.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU, NICU air & ground transport.

I'll gladly answer the weight question everyday. What bothers me are the parents who don't bother to call but once every couple days. Especially when their next question is, "How long before he can come home?" Well let's see...he's still on a vent...if you would have visited sometime in the last week you would know these things! GRR! I think a pre-parenthood screening should be mandatory before procreating! It's like a treat in our NICU when the parents are married, employed, and insured!

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Public Health, L&D, NICU.
NICU_RNC said:
I'll gladly answer the weight question everyday. What bothers me are the parents who don't bother to call but once every couple days. Especially when their next question is, "How long before he can come home?" Well let's see...he's still on a vent...if you would have visited sometime in the last week you would know these things! GRR! I think a pre-parenthood screening should be mandatory before procreating! It's like a treat in our NICU when the parents are married, employed, and insured!

Working NICU was absolutely eye-opening for me. And I got so sick and tired of having to force parents to come visit (case management would threaten to call DHR and have their check stopped usually) and then when they'd finally show up they'd sit by the baby and play on their phone the whole time and ignore the baby.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in MSN, FNP-BC.

Usually the first question is "When can he/she go home?". Then the darn "What's the weight today?" question followed by "Has he/she pooped today?"

We have some families that are obsessed with their baby pooping. We had one recently that was so obsessed we ended up treating the parents by giving the baby pear juice and daily chips along with simethicone.

Oh yes, and heaven forbid if their baby hasn't gained any weight in the first few days even though they have been told time and time again that it is normal and expected for baby to lose weight the first few days, if not the first week of life.

Another one that gets me are the "social" cases where other agencies are involved. Sometimes the access code is changed so other family members can't call in but when it isn't, these families are calling us all the time asking if we have seen or talked to the mom and/or dad. Like we are their guardians and are supposed to know what they are doing at all times. Sometimes these other family members get upset when we don't know.

Oh the things we see in NICU!

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.

Chips?

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.
Bortaz, RN said:
Chips?

Maybe glycerin chips PR? Have seen it very infrequently.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in MSN, FNP-BC.
Elvish said:
Maybe glycerin chips PR? Have seen it very infrequently.

Yes glycerin chips, not potato chips. That would be a good one though! :roflmao:

We don't give them as frequently as we used to but we still see them from time to time.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.

I must be too new to know about those. :)

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.

I was bagging a 30 weeker at delivery, when the father walks over, looks at the baby's genitals, totally unconcerned with the recusitation efforts and says, "UGH! When are you going to circ him?" Priorities seem a little out of whack. Is that what the C in ABC's stand for? Airway, Breathing, Circ? :p

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.

I just think we live in a very vain society. We live in a culture that values aesthetics and we often tend to forget the important things. They are nothing more than a product of society. I've gotten those types of questions too. It's always questions that seem extremely trivial. Everyone is obsessed with baby's weight. They always ask what's his weight because it's really the way they measure progress. I always get this question when we get a clubbed foot baby that has either myelomeningocele or another genetic disorder: When can you fix his feet? Mind you, these kids also have hydrocephalus and is about to have VP shunt placement. It boggles my mind!

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

We get the circ question a lot while still in the OR or DR. It's fine to ask, but can you at least wait until the baby is breathing.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment