Products used on VLBW infants

[doughebb]

Our unit needs ideas on how to get temp probe covers to stick to 23-24 week infants whose skin is gelatinous the first week of life. Specific names of products used would be great. Also, please share successful ways/products used to secure UAC/UVC lines in the same type of infant. What brand of limb leads work best for EKG monitoring? Is anyone having success with ETCO2 monitoring? Finallly, does your unit use humidification in the isolette in the VLBW infant?

Thanks so much for your input!

[SteveNNP, MSN, NP]

We use the neotemp heart temp probe covers. The ones that come with the probes are awful and never stick.

We secure our UA/UVCs with a pink tape bridge with two small pieces of tegaderm on the skin to help them stick. Our VLBWs rarely have umbilical lines longer than a few days.

We use the KittyCat limb leads... they work well. You can also put the leads in the same postions, on the baby's back... as long as they aren't having an arrythmia being monitored.

EtCo2 is not monitored in our unit, due to the small size of the ETTs, and our current vents.

We generally provide 65-70% humidity for the first 7 days... then wean it off slowly.