Is it appropriate to put a NICU mom on the peds. floor?

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Just curious--it seems to me that it might not be in the best interest of the babies in the NICU if someone were bringing yucky germs like RSV in there.

Shannon

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Why would the mom be there? Just to spend the night or something? If so, I don't see it being a problem as long as they are kept in a clean room (not with infections peds patients) and still follow the handwashing protocols the NICU advises. When you think about it, most NICU parents have contact with all sorts of germy kids in the community, so it isn't that different.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

IN the NICUs around here, the families are taught to scrub hands/arms for 5 minutes and wear gowns, before approaching the warmers/incubators. If a cough exists, they are often asked to wear masks as well, or if KNOWN to be ill, just stay home. Far as I know, it would not benefit the NICU or Peds to stick NICU parents there....Peds is VERY busy most places, just as NICU is, and they often will NOT have room for NICU parents to stay there.

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IN the NICUs around here, the families are taught to scrub hands/arms for 5 minutes and wear gowns, before approaching the warmers/incubators. If a cough exists, they are often asked to wear masks as well, or if KNOWN to be ill, just stay home. Far as I know, it would not benefit the NICU or Peds to stick NICU parents there....Peds is VERY busy most places, just as NICU is, and they often will NOT have room for NICU parents to stay there.

I guess I should have been more clear about the circumstances in my original post--basically I wanted to know I was right, LOL!

The day after my c-section (this followed 10 hrs. of excruciating back labor with no pain relief (narcotics didn't work) because I was 33-weeks and they were trying to stop the infection which triggered contractions so I couldn't have an epidural--finally decided to remove the cerclage, still without the epidural b/c anesthesia couldn't get there, cervix ended up ripping, etc. etc.) Still in shock re: Trisomy 21 diagnosis...and they wanted to move me to the peds floor until I was discharged b/c they needed the room. Well, my foremost concern was for the baby, and yes everyone scrubbed before entering NICU, but did *not* wear gowns. I have just always heard that peds. is full of germs and didn't want to subject my baby, or the others in the NICU to RSV or who knows what, that might have been airborne etc. Also, peds was very far away from the NICU, I knew I wasn't up to walking back and forth and the nurses certainly wouldn't have time to wheel me back and forth as much as I wanted to be there. My mom (who is an RN) and one of my best friends who is an L&D nurse (at a different hospital) backed me up (although my friend could certainly have been humoring me) and my OB said I didn't have to move.

SOOO...was I a total B*i*t*c*h to refuse? And actually, I am serious, I want honest opinions not to just be told I was right!!! I wasn't in a very good state of mind at the time for obvious reasons!

Thanks for giving your opinions, I appreciate it!

Shannon

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I think you were RIGHT ON in your wishes....I am so sorry for all you went through. The pedi ward really was NOT the place for you, for all the reasons you stated plus the busyness factor.....You were NOT a b**** for requesting what you did. HTH.....HUGS.

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You weren't a b(*(&*. It sounds like you shouldn't have been moved, but not for the germ reason. Studies have been done showing gowning by parents doesn't decrease the risk of infection in the NICU which is why many hospitals don't require that anymore. A peds room is no more germy than any other area of the hospital. A lof of NICUs will even float nurses back and forth between peds and the NICU, just not with infectious patients (there are few truly airborne diseases and those patients are always properly isolated). Most parents in the NICU have already been discharged home and spend time with their other kids, at school, playing with the dog, etc. It's handwashing that protects the NICU patients.

You shouldn't have been moved because you needed to go back and forth and had just had major surgery. It would be mean to expect you to walk there yourself or not go at all because a nurse was too busy to take you.

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Is it common to put an adult pp pt on a pediatric unit??? :eek:

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Is it common to put an adult pp pt on a pediatric unit??? :eek:

Not anywhere that I've ever heard of. Around my way, if PP is full, we have a hard time even getting Med/surg to take a pp pt, even if we agree to come and do the standard pp checkups. If the pt. requires ICU, we can sometimes get them admitted there if and ONLY if we do all the PP care. I can't even IMAGINE a place letting a newly delivered mom on a peds unit....talk about inappropriate! How would you feel if your baby was sick and you couldn't take it home right away, yet you were on a floor surrounded by kids??? I imagine it would be difficult.

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Thanks for your support! I spent 2 months on hospitalized bed rest (with a prior pg.) and always tried to do everything I could to make the nurses' jobs easier, so it was hard for me to say no. I am glad to hear that I wasn't totally out of line.

A little more to the story...when I told the charge nurse (my nurse was wonderful that day) that I wasn't moving, she stormed out of the room and slammed the door--I thought that was kind of unprofessional, no matter how crazy things were. But I got the impression she didn't like me anyway because 1) when I was in triage the day before and she was placing my IV she had set things up on my leg, and when I felt the stick I kicked and everything fell on the floor (seems like a pts. leg might not be the best surface to use) and she acted incredibly annoyed with me and 2) I know she didn't approve that I was begging the dr. to take out the cerclage because I was only 33 weeks. She kept saying "You don't want a preemie" which of course was true but she was saying it in a very patronizing way. Well, I was on strict bed rest starting at 20 weeks--I never cheated, the only time I got up was to use the bathroom and for drs. appts. I knew the risks of prematurity at every day of gestation down to the percentage, and I didn't need to be made to feel guilty. I also just knew that they wouldn't be able to stop my labor, and would have preferred it if they had listened and removed the cerclage *before* it tore through my cervix.

I appreciate your responses--experiences like this I think will allow me to be a more compassionate nurse!

Shannon

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

its funny how that works: the more tough experiences we have had, we have the choice to remember. and then, be MUCH more compassionate to our patients, keeping these in mind. Remember what it's like to be "on the other side of the bedrail" and use this experience to color your nursing attitude in a positive way. That is the best way to overcome what these people did to you, hon.

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