Unlicensed personnel

[Kldrn9963, MSN]

In newborn nursery, does anyone routinely use unlicensed personnel (techs, CNAs) in their staffing matrix? We do not do couplet care and staff only rn's currently in the nursery. If you do use unlicensed personnel, do you care to share your staffing ratios? Thank you!

[Surfandnurse]

We have "Techs" as "Care Aids" they do vitals and help patients shower and weigh the babies, hearing screens and put in orders for us when we admit patients! they don't scrub csections, but they help us with lots of other stuff.

they were even doing blood sugars, but this just recently got changed so they are no longer allowed to do BG's.

I came from a place where it was only RN's and you did everything from top to bottom including cleaning the rooms, here our techs help us with all that. They are all NRP certified and when we have a delivery they collect the cord blood after MD draws from cord, and they also will set up delivery tables! They are a great asset to our team.

Patient ratios are usually 1:1 for labor and 2 couplets:1 nurse post partum, so with a tech/aid you have a lot of help! They get by without as many RN's on staff then.

[ashleyisawesome, BSN, RN]

We do couplet care but still have a nursery with 1 RN and 1 tech on days/evenings. On nights there is just 1 RN in the nursery and no tech. Most of our techs are trained in labor/PP/nursery and can be assigned any one of those. On nights the PP tech usually helps out in the nursery if needed. In the nursery our techs can draw PKU/bilis, bottle feed, do baby baths, assist with circumcisions, run babies to and from the nursery, do blood sugars, change diapers, etc. The couplet/nursery nurse also does those things in addition to vitals, assessments, CCHD screenings, car seat tests, meds, bili lights, I&Os. The nursery nurse is responsible for checking all the orders on babies, calling the Pediatrician/neonatologist if necessary, checking labs, doing admission assessments on new babies, taking care of babies whose moms are d/c'd, and watching the babies that are in the nursery (either because mom sent them, they need extra monitoring, etc). We all kind of work as a team, but essentially it is the PP nurse's responsibility that all her babies are assessed, fed, peeing/pooping, bathed and meds are given. The tech is there to help get that stuff done and the nursery nurse is there to help out as well, plus double check that all the babies are up to date on interventions/tests/discharge requirements and troubleshoot any problems.

In PP we often have 4 couplets so it can get overwhelming--especially if you have a sick mom or baby in the mix. Having the help of the tech and nursery nurse is wonderful. We are still in the middle of transitioning to baby friendly and I really hope they keep the staffing we have to include a nursery nurse and a nursery tech!

[RunnerRN2015, ASN, RN]

In PP we often have 4 couplets so it can get overwhelming--especially if you have a sick mom or baby in the mix. !

Our standard assignment is 4 couplets -- and sometimes 5 couplets -- and we do it all without techs or nursery. CHD, TcB, serum bili, PKU, sugar checks, bili lights, getting section moms up 12 hrs post, changing linens, assist with circs, etc etc etc...it's A LOT! I'm jealous that you have help!