Bubble CPAP?

elizabells, BSN, RN · Dec 31, 2008

I work in the unit where bubble CPAP was invented, lo these many years ago. We use Hudson prongs with either the provided hat or stockinette. You just have to pay attention to the bubbling, and check it now and then. That's the first thing we look at if the kiddo starts to desat or whatever. I find that when we do have kids on IMV CPAP, the vent just alarms constantly because there's never a perfect seal and people start tuning it out. We do have a ton of toaster heads, and when the kids are stable enough our OT/PT start working with them on positioning to try to mitigate it, but there's not a ton you can really do.

KatRNC · Dec 31, 2008

Hi,

Let me guess, Columbia Presbyterian? Regarding the cpap head issue, do the babies heads come back to normal at some point?

Kat

PS: Don't you just love ecmo? I miss it!

elizabells, BSN, RN · Dec 31, 2008

My understanding is that their heads do go back to normal. I can spot the CPAPers on alumni day by their poor noses, but their heads look pretty okay.

We haven't had an ECMO in MONTHS! I miss it too!

RNin2007 · Jan 1, 2009

We use bubble cpap and monitor it also by checking frequently. I've not been around long enough to follow kids toaster heads lol but I have my own 29 week preemie who spent a fair number of days on CPAP and has a very slightly noticable toaster head at 11 years old...but not that bad really. There's my 0.02 for what it's worth...

ETA: his nose is perfectly fine! spent 3ish weeks on CPAP