Going too far

kids · May 25, 2003

I do not and have never worked NICU...but spent several years taking care of micro preemies who survived and went home with a trach/vent.

The measures that are being taken seem pretty typical to me...the age and size seems WAY to small tho, I don't think I have heard that babies that small & young are routinely treated agressively.

You came to the right place to ask, someone much more knowledgeable than me will turn up and reply.

armyobrn · May 25, 2003

he can not speak for the whole US but for my hospital we wouldn't have considered that baby viable. We just delivered a 22 weeker yesterday that mom came in ruptured. Baby lived for 1 1/2 hours,no heroics were done,just time spent with the family. I feel that baby is being tortured.

NICU_Nurse, BSN, RN · May 25, 2003

We would not have considered that baby viable, either. At 22wks and that weight, we would have begun comfort measures and allowed the family to be with the baby until it passed.

prmenrs, RN · May 25, 2003

Nope, probably not. I see an ethics consult indication. Poor little thing!

RN from OZ · May 26, 2003

Yep exactly ! we would usually do nothing but comfort and let the baby bond with its mother.

We had a review today after myself and other staff complained, and the parents were spoken to about " Best outcomes " and decided to withdraw treatment.

That Doc had been spoken to , his defence was the parents have been on IVF for 5years and this is the first pregnancy they had acheived. Not really a vaild excuse as the parents did not, when asked want heroics and I hope he is now not going to go experimenting on any more bubs !

dawngloves, BSN, RN · May 26, 2003

We would not have even been called to that the delivery. If we had and that poor little thing came out, I would have refused to assist the doc in that torture. i am so sorry you and that baby had to go through that.

Brownbetty · May 26, 2003

the youngest in our NICU is usually a 24 weeker. We are not called up to resuscitate 22 weekers.

iceNICUnurse · May 27, 2003

We dont try to resuscitate under 24 weeks and 500gr.