Preemie/NICU-isms

Specialties NICU

Published

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

Specializes in NICU.
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.......

Yeah, I do object to nurses actually calling them "wimpy white boys" right in front of their parents. We do explain to them that white boys have the roughest NICU courses, usually, so they know they're at a disadvantage...but I wouldn't say it in front of them or any other parents.

We just call them "white boys" now, no need to even elaborate on it.

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

I love to see the "Happy Butt" sign! :)

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Specializes in NICU/Neonatal transport.

My son was a wimpy white boy, I thought it was cute! :) I look at it as more of a term of endearment.

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Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.

Some goofy neo at our hospital used the term WWB when discussing their child and his prognosis with his parents. There was a complaint. It was discussed in our partnership meeting, it's a bad word now, we can't use it (at least not in earshot of parents. What do you do though when parents ask you about it? It's still a delicate subject where I work.

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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

We just explain the statistics that generated the phrase, point out that their child is not necessarily a WWB, in fact, he's doing fairly well, whatever else positive you can say about their particular situation.

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Specializes in NICU.

I usually don't even point out that there IS a WWB phenomenon to the parents of one since it's not really relevant most of the time. About the only time I do is if they have twins and the other one (a girl) is doing better.

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I know it's not a new term but I remember when I refered to one of my babies as a "feeder grower" and my husband thought that was the funniest thing...he was just ROTFL. He said it reminded him of something out of sci-fi horror movie or something. To a nurse it seems perfectly normal to refer to that sort of baby as a feeder grower, but I see where he is coming from. He just cracks up every time I say it.I don't call them that in front of their parents though.

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- Bili lights: tanning booth

-eyeshields: shades

-oral care: Brushing teeth

-moving to Isolette: buying a condo

-moving around spots in the unit: Frequent flyer miles

-mixing up brst milk with fortifier: Working at the bar or fast food resterant

-bath & shampoo day: day at the spa

That's all I can think of for now...right now I have to deal with nasal c crap..or I mean cpap! :)

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Specializes in NICU.

We sometimes give "spa baths"... We'll put the baby in the tub and then drop in an O2 tubing attached to 15LPM for continuous bubbles! Is it therapeutic for the baby in any way? Doubtful, they still either like the bath or hate it, but the parents get a kick out of it!

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We sometimes give "spa baths"... We'll put the baby in the tub and then drop in an O2 tubing attached to 15LPM for continuous bubbles! Is it therapeutic for the baby in any way? Doubtful, they still either like the bath or hate it, but the parents get a kick out of it!

We call the chronic long term kids ( I guess there more than 4 months or so)

NICU Senior Citizens

oh, and another: the really tiny ones= "microchips"

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I am a parent of a preemie and I am thinking about going to school for nursing and wanted to do NICU. My daughter was born at 23.6 wks and has only been home 3 wks any advice on school?

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We sometimes give "spa baths"... We'll put the baby in the tub and then drop in an O2 tubing attached to 15LPM for continuous bubbles! Is it therapeutic for the baby in any way? Doubtful, they still either like the bath or hate it, but the parents get a kick out of it!

That is such a cute idea, I might try that one myself. I like to do anything I can to make the parents laugh and lighten up!

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