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Common Neonatal Nursing Instruments

Neonatal nursing concentrates on the care of newborn infants. Nurses may either care for healthy newborns, or they may be assigned to give intensive care in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). According to the National Institutes of Health, NICU nurses play a very important role in monitoring the baby. Since newborns at any health level require care, there are some common neonatal nursing instruments used in hospitals that check vital signs, isolate babies from risks of infection or sickness, or help with respiratory support.

  1. Stethoscope

    • A stethoscope is one of the most common instruments neonatal nurses use when examining babies. A stethoscope is used to listen to the heartbeat to determine if it is beating properly or has murmurs or irregular heartbeat. It may also be used by neonatal nurses to determine if the newborn has fluid in the lungs, which may indicate a respiratory infection. Neonatal stethoscopes come much smaller than traditional models, to accommodate for the tiny heart and chest cavity of a newborn.

    Incubator

    • An incubator is an important instrument to have in the neonatal unit because it is essentially a warmer to help newborns or premature babies reach or maintain a normal body temperature. Babies who do not have enough body fat often need to stay in an incubator to stay warm and reduce the amount of water lost from the body after being birthed. The incubator also protects a premature or newborn baby from possible infection, since they may have needed to be delivered early due to potential complications, and they have not developed fully.

    Oxygen Mask

    • In any nursing or care facility, the use of oxygen masks are prevalent and common to have around. Oxygen masks are especially beneficial for newborns who may have trouble breathing on their own, or who need help in breathing if they have come down with a respiratory infection. An oxygen mask is important for premature babies, since their lung capacity may not be working at their fullest potential. Babies who develop pneumonia or other respiratory distress syndromes will need an oxygen mask to help with breathing in addition to taking antibiotics.

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