Neonatal glucose levels (hypoglycemia)

[weepeenurse]

Please help!! What is the lowest acceptable blood glocose/one touch levels that is acceptable in your units and at what level do your physicians/NNP's treat? This has become a debate between our physician groups and I cant seem to find any literature that states exact numbers. It is hard to know exactly when to call and intervene and/or just to continue to monitor without disturbing who is on call.

Thanks in advance. I love finding out about everyone else's units.

WeePeeNurse

[Gompers, BSN, RN]

We usually only give D10W boluses for hypoglycemia if the glucose us

[suzanne4, RN]

The NICU where I occ. work accepts 40 as the low number, but if the same infnat were in the PICU, for whatever issues, then they want 60 over there, and will treat for anything less.

[dawngloves, BSN, RN]

So many dependant factors.A term newborn with a glucose of 48 we'll let slide and recheck after a feed. An older IUGR kid with a glucose of 47 will get a bolus of D10, recheck. Proably end up on D12.5. Term infant of diabetic mother with ac of 50 will end up on D10 while another term kiddo will get no intervention. So many scenarios. I guess that's why you can't find info.

[prmenrs, RN]

Usually the NICU @ which you're working has a protocol for which kids get glucose testing, and what to do for various levels, again depending on the situation. If it's a term LGA or IDM baby, whether it's low or borderline, 1st step will be to feed the baby. Yes, formula. [oh, no, not that! Yeah, that, just do it! ]