Preemie/NICU-isms

[mermom]

Hi nurses,

Would you please share your funny preemie/NICU pet names for things, like some of these for example:

first attempt at breast-- "meet and greet"

under oxyhood-- in da 'hood

c-pap-- elephant impression

coming off of monitors-- (baby's name) unplugged

etc

I hope you don't mind this frivolous request. As a preemie mom I along with other preemie parents found these amusing bits of NICU humor a very welcome comic relief.

Thanks

Wen

[fergus51]

Nekhismom we say that because we don't use the term level 4 NICU ever. A level 3 with ecmo is still a level 3 for us.

[prmenrs, RN]

The mother-baby unit was two floors higher than we were, so when they brought a baby down saying that it was having resp problems, we'd eval--if we couldn't find anything wrong and the baby quit doing waht they said it was doing, we'd say it had altitude sickness.

[Mimi2RN, ASN, RN]

The mother-baby unit was two floors higher than we were, so when they brought a baby down saying that it was having resp problems, we'd eval--if we couldn't find anything wrong and the baby quit doing waht they said it was doing, we'd say it had altitude sickness.

Sounds like us, we are down a sloping hallway in the old building. Our babies would have the "hill cure". Amazing how a change in elevation works!

[wjf00]

We say a newborn that is grunting is "singing".

[KRVRN, BSN, RN]

We have a saying similar to the altitude sickness and the hill cure. We say the elevator cure or elevator ride cure.

Our elevator lights are fluorescent and just absolutely terrible in regards to assessing color, so once we get them out of the elevator, they just about always look better!

[prmenrs, RN]

So, you're saying that there's never going to be a NICU up in Big Bear? Rats! (jk)

[JVanRN]

chillin in the tanning bed= baby in bili bed

[KRVRN, BSN, RN]

Parents always think it's cute when I refer to an isolette as a condo. I don't know why, but they always seem to associate a baby in an "incubator" as somehow MUCH sicker than a baby on a warmer!

[BlueYYsRN]

I have thought of a few.

Phototherapy = "at the beach"

A baby who has no IV's = "mobile"

The active preemie in an isolette that squirms down to the bottom of the bed = "trying to escape"

giving a screaming kid a pacifier is "putting a plug in him" or "plugging him up"

A heavily sedated baby is "snowed"

A baby whose condition worsens thus requires intubation = "buying a tube"

The irritable, agitated child that will not settle down and sets off their alarms constantly because they are mad (HR up) or squirming (no signal to p ox) despite all sorts of measures for calming including "leg therapy" (see below) is "possessed".

When plain old swaddling doesn't work one may have to resort to "leg therapy" or wrapping their legs so tight they can't kick.

A baby that spends lots of time on their tummies will probably become a "toasterhead".

This one definately not parent friendly but I have overheard the PCN nurses saying it and thought it was kind of funny. They say that when kids have spent a good deal of time in NICU and then go to PCN the PCN nursed have to work hard to get the parents over their "NICUitis".

[rnpilot]

Happy Butt Sign- when they get their legs tucked up under them and have their butt up in the air. Indicates improvement.

[Mommy2Katiebaby]

My DD was a 26 week preemie, IUGR at 454 grams, vented for eight weeks (two on the jet) and with god only knows how many bradys and baggings, and I heard almost ALL of those at one time or another. I've got a couple more for you, though...

"The Spa" - getting a spinal ultrasound with warm gel

"Easter Bonnet" - CPAP hat / mask (her RT used to go ahead and sing "With all the crap upon it...")

And my favorite, which I only heard once...

"Googly moogly" - the wonderful eye exams for ROP.

[Karen Nero]

I think the nick names are cute but at our NICU some nurses where repremanded for calling a baby whimpy white boy the parents complained to administration and the term can no longer be used....... Karen Alabama