Low resting heart rate

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Hello. Just wondering what other NICU nurses consider a low resting heart rate as far as a range goes. Below 100? Low 100's? We have no policy on this at my hospital. Thanks!

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Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.

Pretty much

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80

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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

I had a ~ 30 wkr, good BP, good sat, minimal vent support, but hr ~ 100-110. Did not make any sense. Kept complaining to the docs--no response from them. Plenty other customers much sicker. :confused: They were concerned, but busy.

Turned out s/he was hypothyroid!

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Specializes in NICU.
Hello. Just wondering what other NICU nurses consider a low resting heart rate as far as a range goes. Below 100? Low 100's? We have no policy on this at my hospital. Thanks!

Full term kids can have lower resting heart rates and we'll have our limits set at 90. Preemies definitely shouldn't be this low though. Don't you have alarm limits on the monitors?

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Yes we set out low limit for HR at 100, but some people do set them at 90. Sometimes MD will write for low limit to be set at 80 if HR is low resting.

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Specializes in L/D 4 yrs & Level 3 NICU 22 yrs.

Our policy is 34 weeks low HR limit set at 80. We have to get an order for a term quiet baby who keeps dipping just below 80. And then the order would probably be to 75, especially if baby is pink and well-saturated.

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