Do you allow rings of any kind in your NICU??? and other infection questions...

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I am working on an infection control initiative in my NICU and I was wondering what other NICUs do about rings. I am new to this unit, but came from a unit that does not allow rings at all. My new unit allows all rings.

My other question was isolette covers. How frequently do you change them? Here we only change them if they fall on the floor.

ANY help with these questions would be wonderful. If anyone knows of any good infection control resources that would be an awesome bonus as well.

Thanks so much!!!

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We can wear a plain wedding band.

We change isolette covers if they fall on the floor or when we change the isolette.

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.
I am new to this unit, but came from a unit that does not allow rings at all. My new unit allows all rings.

ALL RINGS?! :eek:

I do wellbaby, and we're not allowed any rings at all. Ditto the NICU.

Even if we could wear rings, I wouldn't. Why would anyone want to get hospital cooties in their jewelry???? Kudos to you for your initiative.

Ewww on the rest.

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Specializes in Neonatal ICU (Cardiothoracic).

My last unit, we could wear plain bands without stones.

Here, you can wear whatever. Wonder why the infection rate is high....hmm.

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Specializes in NICU.

Here, you can wear whatever. Wonder why the infection rate is high....hmm.

I know, right? I see girls with complex 3-stone engagement sets and I wonder why. Even if it weren't an infection hazard, which it totally is, um, EW! I also see a ton of dark nail polish, which to me seems like it would hide dirt under the fingernails. I like to see exactly what's hiding under there. With our whole drama last year with the MRSA, I'm amazed they didn't crack down on that.

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Specializes in Level II & III NICU, Mother-Baby Unit.

I currently work in a 30 bed Level III NICU.

I've worked in 3 NICUs and all three allowed only one plain wedding band. No other rings, no wedding band with a stone, no watches, no nail polish and no artificial nails. Usually only the newlywed nurses wore their wedding bands...I suppose because they were still excited about being married. It's just too easy to have a silly ring come off along with removing gloves in a hurry, etc.

All 3 NICUs changed isolette covers if they are visably dirty, fall on the floor, or if it is routine isolette changing time (weekly and one NICU, every 2 weeks at the other two NICUs).

Hope this helps.

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Thank you for all the awesome responses!!! Keep them coming!

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Specializes in start in NICU 7/14/08.

not working yet but i was informed of the rules when i went in to shadow...no rings except wedding band - preferably no stones. no watches or bracelets, either.

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Specializes in NICU, Med/Surg.

No rings of any kind (germs do not know the difference between a wedding band and another ring). This applies to both staff, parents and visitors.

Isolette covers are changed daily along with everything else around the baby. Isolettes are changed weekly but wiped down inside and out daily. Usually one of the parents wash and change everything when the other parent do KMC.

It used to be a big pain with changing everything daily since it had to be not only washed but also ironed once dry...... Takes forever to iron an isolette cover not to mention everything else! Now we have a special dryer that heats the fabric enough to kill the germs.

Our unit has changed a lot regarding fabric care since we sent samples to infection control. There were LOTS of germs growing on the sheets and other things close to the baby, even if it was just washed. One baby actually had mold growing on her back, and that was the thing that started the whole investigation.......

Anna

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Specializes in Neonatal ICU (Cardiothoracic).

Usually one of the parents wash and change everything when the other parent do KMC.

Your PARENTS clean isolettes?

One baby actually had mold growing on her back

Now that's one baby that needed to be bathed more often.

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Specializes in NICU, Med/Surg.
Usually one of the parents wash and change everything when the other parent do KMC.

Your PARENTS clean isolettes?

One baby actually had mold growing on her back

Now that's one baby that needed to be bathed more often.

The parents usually do the daily wash, not the weekly (where everything is taken apart and scrubbed). Most of them see this as something useful to do, we don´t force anyone to do it....

The baby with mold was a extremely sick and tiny 23 weeker, so bathing wasn´t exactly our first priority.....

Anna:nuke:

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Specializes in Neonatal ICU (Cardiothoracic).

We can barely get some parents to change a diaper, let alone clean the isolette.....

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