level II vs. level III neonatal units

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I was doing some reading about neonatal nursing. It said that there aren't very many level I neonatal units as they are for healthy infants and since the hospital visit is so short now for mothers and their babies, the baby usually stays with the mother. It also said that level II or intermediate is for mildly ill and premature infants and sicker infants go to level III or NICU. I was just wondering if there is actually both of these in most hospitals or is it usually limited to OB and NICU. I think I would like working with infants, but I would want to be able to hold the babies. Can you do that in NICU or are they all restricted to incubators all the time? Any opinions from your own experiences would be appreciated. Thanks.

What I love, prmenrs, is your quote "Never trust a 35 weeker" I always smile when I see it, because my youngest was a 35 weeker, and she's still the troublesome one! LOL

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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

:imbar: Aw, shucks.

Those rascally 35 weekers! I'll bet she gives you a laugh a day!

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Specializes in NICU.

I cuddled two babies (one of my own, and one of another nurse's assigment) last night for quite a while. In fact, at about three-thirty this morning, after the feeds were finished, I cuddled a polysubstance-exposed infant for about an hour while we had some down time. So there you go. :) That's some nice quality snuggling for ya'. We BOTH enjoyed it.

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

Awwww....gotta cuddle those poor widdle ones. I remember when my son was in an SCN (another UNTRUSTWORTHY 35-weeker with sepsis, distress and under triple bank bili lights)----there was a poor substance-exposed lil one whose mom came in drunk and/or high every day and looked at him like an interesting exhibit at the zoo, then walked away. Everyday, the nurses offered to take him out to let her hold him, tried to get her to bond, but I guess she was unable to do so for some reasons I cannot understand or relate to. It was so sad. Thank Heaven for those nurses; he got a lot of love in there. I felt better, at least, about that.

I am sure they wanted to get rid of me and my family. We were ALWAYS in there, holding my son. Could not keep us away....lol.

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I think most units that are level III probably have a step down area for the feeders and growers. I enjoy the babies that are really sick, but then I also love the times that I just get to hold and cuddle the feedrs/growers. At our hospital we do primary nursing, so we start out with our patients when they are sick, and then we get to follow them through their hospital stay, and get the opportunity to cuddle them when they are stable and working their way toward home. I really like primary nursing because you get to know your patient, and you get to enjoy and hold them when they are stable.

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