Teaching project on discharge for preterm infant parents

Fiona59 · Nov 11, 2017

Google is your friend. As is the hospital maternity unit. They usually give details of Mums and Tots groups, support groups for Mums of Preemies.

Go forth and do your homework.

afac1986 · Nov 11, 2017

Thanks I have all of the info on support groups in the areas I researched that and cpr classes and support sites and preemie apps. I'm trying to figure out ideas for maybe ideas of games or something interesting.

afac1986 · Nov 11, 2017

Can I include a presentation board with pictures?

roser13, ASN, RN · Nov 11, 2017

Can I include a presentation board with pictures?

We have no way of knowing the answers to questions about your assignment. You must read your assignment, email your instructor or ask another student.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Nov 11, 2017

In my state, it is a requirement to provide teaching on shaken baby syndrome to parents taking their baby home for the first time. Also, usually newborns get their first Hep B vaccine prior to discharge and education/providing the Vaccine Information Sheet is a requirement as well.

How pre-term are we talking though? Discharging a 36 5/7 week baby home with his parents after 2-3 days is going to be very different than discharging a 24 weeker who's been hospitalized for 4 months and had NEC and is going home with a G-tube/on TPN, with a colostomy, on oxygen for chronic lung disease, and with a VP shunt d/t post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus.

Honestly, if a post-partum nurse is discharging the mother of a micro-preemie who is still in the NICU, I'd expect most of her teaching to be on post-partum care for the mom herself. That baby might be intubated and on TPN, but the mother will still be encouraged to pump and bring in breast milk for when the baby is able to start trophic feeds by NG. That baby's medical course is uncertain and discharge teaching for the baby will by done by the NICU when the baby is ready for discharge.

afac1986 · Nov 12, 2017

Yes nothing was specified on the outline so I incorporated rsv and influenza since immune system is low. I also included parental coping mechanisms and support groups. Long term health issues the baby might have as well as developmental issues as well as how to track developmental milestones by the babies corrected age. Im sure it's just a preemie being discharged with no apnea or oxygenation issues ( especially because we did not go over infant lectures yet in maternity) I also did include Info on breastfeeding and benefits for the pre term baby since nutritional status is low.

afac1986 · Nov 12, 2017

I'm

Thinking it's geared more towards the parents anxiety and stress. Maybe I should choose another topic. I was going to pick CAM during labor but my clinical instructor said this topic had so much more.

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Nov 12, 2017

Safe sleep

futureTBA · Nov 12, 2017

I work in a level 2 special care nursery and discharge teaching varies depending on the needs of the infant. Are you supposed to focus on mom's discharge from postpartum without her baby? Maybe her discharge with a 36 week late pre-term infant who never went to the nursery? Define pre-term. I would start with that - figure out your target audience.

A relatively late pre-term infant who is not separated from mom but rather discharge straight from postpartum with mom might have teaching focused on safe sleep practices, breastfeeding resources in the community, when to call your doctor (signs and symptoms to monitor), car seat safety (especially going into winter!) and more

A mom going home without her baby may need some different information. Her 33 weeker is in hospital for the next several weeks at least, what does she need to know? Maybe about mental health resources in the community for things like PPD (also important for any mom), lactation/breastfeeding resources to help with pumping for a preemie, information on safe milk handling and storage, parents like to google medical info (and google is a scary doctor!) so sometimes I provide them with a couple of reputable medical sites to do their research on (like the Mayo Clinic or the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto)

Figure out who you're targeting and think about what you'd like to know if you were the parents.

bgxyrnf, MSN, RN · Nov 12, 2017

Thanks I have all of the info on support groups in the areas I researched that and cpr classes and support sites and preemie apps. I'm trying to figure out ideas for maybe ideas of games or something interesting.

Long before I was a nurse, I was a preemie dad. There's nothing in that for which games would have been helpful.

I would address the basics of assessment of respiratory status and make a little card or flyer. This was a constant stressor for us... and something which we were ultimately found to have been acutely deficient in knowledge which almost had severe consequences.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Nov 12, 2017

Yes nothing was specified on the outline so I incorporated rsv and influenza since immune system is low. I also included parental coping mechanisms and support groups. Long term health issues the baby might have as well as developmental issues as well as how to track developmental milestones by the babies corrected age. Im sure it's just a preemie being discharged with no apnea or oxygenation issues ( especially because we did not go over infant lectures yet in maternity) I also did include Info on breastfeeding and benefits for the pre term baby since nutritional status is low.

See, based on what you say here, I would not assume you're talking about a late 36 weeker who was only days away from being term and is going home with Mom.

When you start talking about "corrected age", that's fairly significant prematurity. A 36 5/7 weeker is probably going to meet their developmental milestones within what's considered the normal range.

What kind of long term health issues are you talking about? As mentioned previously, this varies WIDELY based on how premature the baby was. My best friend's ex 23 + 6/7 weeker has chronic lung disease, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, failure to thrive and significant developmental delays. I wouldn't say you would expect any of these issues in a 36 weeker unless there was an injury during birth or other congenital or genetic anomalies.

What information did you include on RSV and influenza? A preemie only qualifies for synagis based on prematurity if born before 29 weeks 0 days. And the flu shot isn't recommended for babies under 6 months of age. The family should be encouraged to vaccinate themselves.