Units w/Private Rooms

SteveNNP, MSN, NP · Nov 6, 2007

Our private rooms are all isolation rooms. None have cameras.... I would feel highly uncomfortable having Grandma and Grandpa watching from Ft Lauderdale while we crash reintubate Junior and start chest compressions.....

NicuRN73 · Nov 7, 2007

I have only heard of one unit that does this, and I think that its Alta Bates in Ca. My main concern is to MY right to privacy. I should not have to have my image shown on the World wide web doing my job, just so people can look in on the infant.

What about HIPPA. What and how is the hospital going to guard against hackers and such invading the website.

Besides, I agree with SteveRn21. The parents should be the first ones to find out important stuff. Not who was on the net first.

This is an intensive care unit, NOT a daycare or hotel. Most have isolette covers on until a certain gestational age and would not be able to see infant, just the bed. What about kids on jets/HFOV that do not need the stimulation of the cameras/isolette uncovered? Are they going to put cameras into isolettes? What about the noise from camera and infection control? :nono:

These are just my opinions, but they cover some of the ideas that parents don't think about when they ask for things like this. I know it has to be very hard not to be able to visit as much as you want, but with webcast, the baby is still not bonding with the family.

Ok, I will try to get off my soapbox now

Kathy

NicuRN73 · Nov 7, 2007

same message sent twice.

ScammRNC · Nov 8, 2007

I totally agree with you NicuRN73. I am just trying to find out information so I can present a case to the powers that be.

twinkletoes53 · Nov 8, 2007

this is a link to a site about the "angels" program in the nicu at the university of arkansas medical center in little rock. it is a program that provides webcams at bedsides of their nicu babies, for parents to access. they do not have private rooms in their nicu; it is an open unit. they currently have 10 cameras, and plan to expand the program.

[color=#0000de]babies in intensive care gain guardian angel eye

it's great for our famlies who live several hours away from little rock, and cannot be with their babies on a daily basis.

elizabells, BSN, RN · Nov 8, 2007

Lord, I even get ansty with video EEGs, so a webcast? Nu-uh. Even if you're a great nurse who never deviates from P&P (which we all are, of course), being videotaped is just ooky to me.

Jolie, BSN · Nov 8, 2007

I might be supportive of a brief, pre-planned period of recording a stable baby while the parents are visiting, but that would be the extend of it.

TexasPediRN · Nov 8, 2007

I can just imagine the lawsuits that could occur if something went wrong..

The lawyer would be like "and see here, it took 2 IV starts on Junior here, and look at the technique - this explains why Junior developed an infection and had to stay longer"

or

"it took 5.2 seconds to respond to Juniors desats, instead of 3 seconds, and now hes got CP or brain damage"

(I seriously dont work NICU, so just making up examples and times!!!)

If something happened to that child - it would all be recorded. I'd pass. In fact, I would quit if I was told I would had to be videotaped all day caring for my patients. Not that I do anything wrong (intentionally of course), but thats an invasion of my privacy..

However, I'd be all for certain times where parents could look in via web cam for oh, 5-10 minutes just to see their baby. But not 24/7.

kitty29 · Nov 14, 2007

i have a question for those that work in units with private rooms. we have had a few parents ask about placing cameras in the rooms so they can see their babies when they aren't there via webcast. does anyone have this or has anyone even heard of such? i sure don't think it would be a good thing.:doh:

we have to have a video camera transmission ability because ob is in a different hospital...so we do transmit the babys immage to parents if they are still at the other hospital. we have cameras in every room and rotate the ussage...but we ussually do not have the baby on 24/7 explaining to parents it will be turned off when the nurse is doing proceedures or cares.

BabyRN2Be · Nov 16, 2007

I recently had a baby who had to spend the first month of her life in NICU. Although the situation is different as this was an open unit and had no private rooms, it was very helpful to me as a new mom recovering from a traumatic 48 hour labor ending in a c-section to be able to view my baby through closed circuit TV feed in the hospital.

However, I would want it restricted to my husband and I on who could watch it. I wouldn't want my inlaws to call me when I didn't happen to be watching with them asking me, "What are they doing to the baby now?" I'd get calls every 15 minutes if that was the case.

Honestly, sometimes it would get to the point that my husband and I couldn't watch and we'd turn it off.

When people came up and wanted to see the baby, it was helpful to be able to turn on the TV and show them the baby because no one could go into NICU (unless you were a parent or grandparent). Occasionally clergy could go in to "bless" the baby. But after having a baby in NICU, I wouldn't want people watching what they were doing to my baby.

Also, the staff was very good about turning off the camera when it came time to do invasive procedures. I'm sure that if there was a code, the first thing they'd do is turn the camera off.

Having a webcast might be helpful to some parents who live far away from the hospital, but I wouldn't want others watching what was going on with my baby.

Just my :twocents: .

Preemienurse23 · Nov 17, 2007

I can see both the pros and cons of it. But I don't think I would want that in my unit, except maybe for moms in L&D or PP who could not visit, and I would probably want that time limited too.