isolette humidity

[jscrn]

Does anyone have a specific protocol on humidity in their isolettes? We have a protocol for VLBW babies for the first three weeks of life and then nothing after that. I am working on revising it and would love some input. When do you start to wean the humidity? How often do you wean it? Do you ever have a baby in an isolette without humidity? I appreciate any feedback. Thanks.

[NICUnurseKatie]

Does anyone have any tips on how to get things to stick to your baby when they're on 70% humidity? Ex. Leads, temp probe, tegaderm. I feel like I have to change them out so many times in a shift to get them to stick!

Sedation!! No I'm just kidding, but seriously, we have started placing a large tegaderm on the micropreemies chest and it is working wonders with skin issues. we place under everything so there is no breakdown from UAC holders, leads, temp probes, etc. The leads may get all jelly but we don't remove them unless they come off themselves, this is hard to avoid in an active baby. temp probe location gets changed every touch time. We only leave babies on high humidity for 24 hours or so. So this problem is short-lived. Good luck! Hopefully we'll get some good tips!

[UTVOL3]

Yup, you can even put it under an oximeter probe. Just have to be really careful not to be removing the tegaderm every shift too...I know that sounds like a given but sometimes people can get a little overzealous...

If you have a kid that is being treated with Vigilon dressing for skin tears you can stick the temp probe down in that and put the little refelctive thingy over it (if you need it) and it works pretty welll and won't cause more damage to the skin. I don't think they would like it if you opened a package just for that purpose though. it is expensive.

[300g]

Does anyone have any tips on how to get things to stick to your baby when they're on 70% humidity? Ex. Leads, temp probe, tegaderm. I feel like I have to change them out so many times in a shift to get them to stick!

Thin duoderm... small strip across the top and small strip across the bottom of the lead, small square over the temp probe...

Also, if the baby is supine, I place the leads on their back... prone, on their chest.

Or, change them...

We need a policy on weaning humidity... I think it's pretty much the nurse's discretion right now and 14 days or so is usually the limit. Regardless of gestational age, a competent barrier function is attained within 2-4 weeks postnatal age. Therefore, we do have kids in isolettes without humidity solely for temp instability and not for insensible fluid loss.

Hope that helps!