i need elightenment

[bsn graduate]

Whats the difference between a new born nursery and a special care nursery. Thanks

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

In general newborn nursery is for normal, healthy term babies. Special care nurseries get infants of diabetic mothers, premature infants not requiring ventilation, babies with cleft lips and palates, babies with Down syndrome and some stable babies with heart defects, as well a a range of other problems.

[bsn graduate]

Whats the difference between a new born nursery and a special care nursery. Thanks

If the infants who go to newborn nursery are healthy and normal then why are they placed there?

[Ultra Violet]

They are placed there to be assessed. The docs may visit them there. The mother may want to sleep, and the baby is placed there for safety. Some Moms have their babies "room" with them; others may not feel well and have the baby sleep in the nursery. They receive immunizations there, their first bath, etc. etc.

[CABG patch kid, BSN, RN]

Also in many hospitals, the nursery nurse will come to the deliveries and do the assessment, vitamin K shot, erythromycin ointment, weight and measurements, bath, etc at the bedside. If it was a C-section, the nurse will take the baby to the nursery while mom recovers. I liked my rotation in the well-baby nursery, there's quite a bit of action going on in there sometimes, especially when all the babies are crying at once!!! Seriously though, it seems like a pretty cool place to work, a specialty that I'm still considering for one day :)