Overview
There are four key notions to consider when caring for infants in the Special Care Nursery; are they warm, are they sweet, are they pink and are they calm? These four key concepts will be expanded on throughout this resource as well as providing evidence based clinical application of these concepts to specific conditions that may be cared for in the special care nursery by nurses and midwives. The resource will provide a brief overview of the basic pathophysiology of these more common presentations.
Learning Objectives
Intended learning outcomes:
- Understand the underlying pathophysiology of health challenges experienced by the premature, haemodynamically unstable and or unwell term neonate.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the role of the midwife or nurse in providing care in the neonatal unit.
- Apply an evidence-based approach to planning care for the premature, haemodynamically unstable or unwell term infant and their family.
This resource reviews the pathophysiology related to some of the more commonly seen health concerns of the premature and or unwell term infants who have developed more complex health issues that require care in the special care nursery. It aims to equipe nurses and midwives at the beginning of their careers or those wishing to start a career in the neonatal environment with the foundational knowledge to support the health outcomes of premature or unwell infants, in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team of health professionals.
The intention is to expand the knowledge, skills and competence to care for the neonates and families where an infant requires complex care in a neonatal unit. Family centred and developmental care are evidence-based interventions central to optimising health and wellbeing in the vulnerable infant. Neonatal care extends to parents and families, including collaboration with other health professionals. There are four key notions to consider when caring for infants in the special care nursery; are they ‘warm’, are they ‘sweet’, are they ‘pink’ and finally are they ‘calm’? These four notions will be expanded on in each of the chapters.
A Person Bathing the Baby by Vicki Yde used under Pexels licence
