IVs and babes rooming with mom

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Recently our couple care nurses have been running gent on newborns in the mother's room. They just bring in a syringe pump, set it to run over 30 min and leave.

Does this seem like a safe practice?

Why not, if the nurse has time to be in and out?

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Originally posted by BETSRN

Why not, if the nurse has time to be in and out?

Because you can't trust some people to leave the stuff alone! That is why not. I don't want that liablity on MY head.

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Originally posted by SmilingBluEyes

Because you can't trust some people to leave the stuff alone! That is why not. I don't want that liablity on MY head.

You'd be liable if a boulder fell through the room and landed on your pt too. That's just the way the courts go these days.

No matter where the pt is, if someone wants to mess with a pump, they will. In my seven years of nursing adults and neonates I have never had anyone tamper with a pump. Not that it doesn't happen. Like I said, if someone has that set in their mind....

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Originally posted by dawngloves

You'd be liable if a boulder fell through the room and landed on your pt too. That's just the way the courts go these days.

No matter where the pt is, if someone wants to mess with a pump, they will. In my seven years of nursing adults and neonates I have never had anyone tamper with a pump. Not that it doesn't happen. Like I said, if someone has that set in their mind....

so I do ONE thing to decrease my liability ...it still makes sense to me to supervise the infusion of antibiotics to newborns. that is all i can say.

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So I say give it push:) Mom gets to keep baby with her, and nurse still gets to see the infusion of the whole dose. Problem solved:)

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Originally posted by fergus51

So I say give it push:) Mom gets to keep baby with her, and nurse still gets to see the infusion of the whole dose. Problem solved:)

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Good idea...... but i am a multitasker. and while IV is infusing, I am doing PKU's , footprints, other newborn assessments, and restocking and making sure warmers are ready for the next admission. Or, perhaps I am already taking care of a level 2 baby in the nursery. I can do two things at once.

What works for you is great; this is what works for me. It is how i do it, and moms are always welcome to come with their babies to the nursery, if they so desire. I don't want to unduly seperate them. I always invite them. But, nope, I am not standing there pushing an IV over 20 minutes or a 1/2 hour when I have other things to do in the nursery, which I always do. I keep the baby in sight at all times...but the work, ah, It never ends.....lol.:)

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Oh, I don't mean I would stand there for 20 minutes, but 5 would be okay. The way our hospital is set up, that would be faster than wheeling the baby to the nursery:) I hate whoever designed this place..... They obviously never had to work here:(

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Specializes in ER.

If that baby came back in a week later it would be in the pediatric unit and getting IV antibiotics in the room...what's the difference. For an infant you take greater care making sure the site is intact before you start the pump, and afterwards, but it is normal practice here to infuse in patient rooms.

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Originally posted by canoehead

If that baby came back in a week later it would be in the pediatric unit and getting IV antibiotics in the room

Exactly.If you have the option to take the baby out the room and infuse in the nursery, great. But not all places have that option and not all nurses have the time to guard parents for half an hour. You can't spend your time looking for little black helicopters.

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

welp, ok I see all your points. You do what works for you, I do what works for me. I know the patient population with which I work........my routine does not upset the moms and dads the way I do it. they are fine w/coming to the nursery with me. They like to watch the nursery "in action" so to speak. And it works fine. I don't plan on working peds, but if I remember correctly , the peds units DO have locking pumps. Makes a difference in my mind, anyhoo.

I am not looking for helicoptors, just doing the job in the most efficient and safe way I know where I work....that is what we ALL do as I see it!

Thanks for all your useful suggestions. Really, they all makes sense to me. but I am perfectly happy with the way I do it where I work. I don't wish to argue this any longer. Have a great day!!!!:kiss

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

What kind of pumps do you all have that lock? We have Medfusions and they don't.

At our hospital, we leave them in mom's room and tell them not to touch the pump. I can see your point SBE, but even in the NICU we don't watch it, we hook it up and go on our merry way until the pump beckons us back.

It is interesting how everyone does stuff different :)

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Our pumps lock, too, but I cannot remember the name. I'll have to try and remember when I get to work.

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