Interesting cases anyone?

Specialties NICU

Published

I work in a medium size nonsurgical level III NICU so sometimes things get a little boring. Sure, on occasion we get a really interesting case, but for the most part it is preemie land. So does anyone have any interesting cases from NICU, PICU, or CICU? I know with all the privacy laws you can't give too many details. I recently heard of a case where a newborn contracted Legionnaires disease from a home water birth.

I really enjoyed when Janfrn would do her "case studies" as a topic. Hint, Hint ;)

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

We have had 2 colloid (icthyosis) babies...such sad little people :(

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

Ichthyosis, didn't check my spelling!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.
I feel this nurse in the NICU has outlasted her time. She needs a change of venue----individual babies have become text book cases! Perhaps research or a higher degree in nursing to be able to teach. Not all nurses can or should be bedside nurses. These are real babies we are talking about, with parents who are mourning them. It takes a special nurse to care for them, perhaps one who has had children of her own.

Are you referring to OP? I don't think asking if anyone has seen anything different from your usual cases reflects on her practise or attitude. The 'interesting cases' are patients that stick with you for a long time. Discussing the different and sometimes rare syndromes is a way to learn as well.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.
I feel this nurse in the NICU has outlasted her time. She needs a change of venue----individual babies have become text book cases! Perhaps research or a higher degree in nursing to be able to teach. Not all nurses can or should be bedside nurses. These are real babies we are talking about, with parents who are mourning them. It takes a special nurse to care for them, perhaps one who has had children of her own.

Just hush with trying to tell people what kind of nurse they are. No one wants to hear it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU Transport/NICU.

Stand by for just one second. I am a NICU nurse and a parent and I find this post not only very interesting but also very helpful. We are fully aware that they are babies as we work with them at least 3 days a week. I have already learned of 3 different diseases I have never seen or heard of just by reading this post and I work in an 80 bed level 3 NICU and I am on the transport team. The original post is the whole point of this website.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
We seem to have a surplus of babies with syndromes in my unit. One of my least favorites so far has been pfeiffer syndrome. Those are some sad little babies! But the craziest baby that I have ever seen was a baby that was born with no eyes or eye sockets. It was very bizarre! He looked like he had a very long forehead that ended at his nose, which was distorted due to his cleft lip. I'm not sure what they decided was the cause, but he was the strangest baby I have ever seen.

reminds me of a vid i saw recently about a mom who's baby had a Tessier defect. maybe try this link

i think that will pull you up the video.
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics.
I feel this nurse in the NICU has outlasted her time. She needs a change of venue----individual babies have become text book cases! Perhaps research or a higher degree in nursing to be able to teach. Not all nurses can or should be bedside nurses. These are real babies we are talking about with parents who are mourning them. It takes a special nurse to care for them, perhaps one who has had children of her own.[/quote']

What?

These are the threads that keep me coming back to allnurses, so I can learn from other nurses. This is far more interesting than the hundreds of threads by students or new grads complaining about how hard school is or that they couldn't find their dream job 2 months post nclex!

Keep the stories coming!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/Critical Care Nursing.
reminds me of a vid i saw recently about a mom who's baby had a Tessier defect. maybe try this link
i think that will pull you up the video.

Omg, way to make me cry!! Lol. How beautiful!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.

I've seen 2 Harlequin ichthyosis babies. Same parents, years apart. Unforgettable.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

We had two babies born within the space of a short time with no eyes. They had brows, sockets, and lids, just no eyeballs. Both to migrant farmworkers. I can't help but wonder if it was some pesticide exposure but freaky things happen without explanation all the time, so it would have been very hard to prove. After discharge peds wanted to test other paired organs to see if there were other abnormalities. Both beautiful babies, both mothers very sad.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

New to NICU here, SO for some of you this may not be too interesting. However saw a full gestation c-section, severe IUGR, 3 missing limbs, trisomy 18, anomaly of the airway, trachea had to be inserted while still attached to placenta, straight to oscillator, then Ecmo the following day. It was interesting learning experience from afar but sad at the same time. I feel honored to have had the experience to see the birth. Maybe as I become more seasoned I will have the opportunity to take those type of cases. Although, that was a rarity on my unit I hear.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Wow, I could only imagine.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment