i have worked in a level iii nicu for 26 years. i remember "way back when"; things we used to do, or not, that are considered routine today. i'm asking other nicu "veterans", what do you remember about neonatal nursing when you started practice?
i recall the siemens vents and baby birds. surfactant, ino, ecmo, oscillators and high frequency vents were unheard of. it was common for us to have infants in our unit for over a year, due to bpd. they would be trached, and some went home on home ventilators. the preception of preemies feeling pain was just coming into focus.
in regards to family, visting was more restrictive. we had not recognized concepts of family focused care--invloving the family in day-to-day care of their babies. also, we did not know about develpmental care and appropriate positioning of babies.
what are your visions for the future of neonatal nursing? what do you see in the coming years? and what do you wish would happen?
