arielseven

Hello, I have been a NICU Nurse for over 10 years and every place I have been we have positioned infants with any kind of respiratory distress on the giraffe with the baby facing the head of the bed so the infant is ready for intubation in the event of an emergency. I started a new job at a NICU and one doctor wants all the baby's positioned at the head of the bed regardless of the patient's respiratory status. Only when the patient is intubated is his head positioned according to NRP guide lines for intubation. We have had several sick kids with chest tubes lately and all of these kids were positioned with the infant at the head of the bed. None of these kids were intubated because the doctor tries everything possible to avoid intubation. I am wondering if anyone has seen any literature to support the traditional way of positioning the infant for an emergency. The doctor's rationale is that it makes the mother's happy. I have no problem with positioning the kids this way if they are stable. But it is scary to think of having to turn a sick baby with a chest tube all the way around to just to intubate the baby in an emergency situation. I know some units do this but I'm old school. Your thoughts are welcome.