What are the important NICU Equipment required for maintaining better Environment at NICU?

by Kevin Smith Author

NICU refers to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. It is a kind of special care nursery for the new born. The infants who have problems, health complications after birth, premature birth are transported to the NICU within 24 hrs. There are several people working in the NICU in a hospital. Some of the specialist working in NICU are as follows:

NICU STAFF:

● Neonatologist: A pediatrician who has additional training for care of premature or sick babies.

● Medical Specialists: Doctors who treat specific health issues in different areas of the body. For example, a neurologist treats health conditions related to the nervous system.

● Head NICU Nurse: The nurse in charge of all nurses in the NICU and the quality of care provided by the NICU.

● Assistant NICU Head Nurse: Assists the Head Nurse and completes daily nursing tasks in the NICU.

● Occupational Therapist: The professional who consults with parents and works with infants on movement or feeding issues.

● Social Workers: Social workers offer emotional support to families and help them get the services they need.

● Neonatology fellows and medical residents: Students receiving training at different levels in neonatology.

The NICU Environment

The NICU environment must be safe and sound for the baby. The unit consists of a large number of advanced neonatal equipment and machines. A controlled environment is maintained in NICU. Babies in general need to have very little stimulation in their first few days after birth, and ill and premature babies need even less. If someone wishes to be in NICU, he needs to maintain its environment. He must speak softly and maintain a sense of calm during his visit. The unit remains busy mostly with a large no. of medical personnel. You might also be asked to leave the room if the room is heavily populated with medical staff. Infants are very sensitive and need to be taken care of 24/7. The unit needs a calm and systematic environment. A lot of medical personnel work day and night in this unit for taking care of the infants and maintaining the NICU environment.

Equipment’s Found in NICU

There are a large number of baby care equipment available in the unit.

1) Incubator: An incubator is an apparatus used to maintain environmental conditions suitable for a neonate (new-born baby). It is used in preterm births or for some ill full-term babies. There is additional equipment used to evaluate and treat sick neonates. These allow medical personnel access to the baby for treatment while minimizing potential environmental health risks.

2) Radiant Warmer: It is a bed for infants which is used instead of an incubator if the baby is handled more often. The bed has an overhead heating source for providing the baby the extra warmth.

3) Blood Pressure Monitor: A blood pressure cuff connected to a machine which will automatically take the baby’s blood pressure at regular intervals.

4) C-PAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) Machine: A method of administering air to the baby’s lungs which uses tubes inserted into the baby's nose or mouth and through the windpipe. The tubes are connected to a mechanical ventilator. The ventilator assists the baby with breathing rather than breathing for the baby completely.

5) Feeding Tube: A tube placed into the mouth or nose; it is connected to the stomach to help deliver breast milk or formula to babies who are unable to eat.

6) X-ray: X-rays use electromagnetic energy beams to create images of bones, tissues, and organs. They are used to monitor, detect and diagnose many different health conditions, injuries, or disorders.

7) Ultrasound: Ultrasound machines use high frequency sound waves to create images of organs, tissues, and blood vessels. This visual tool is painless for the baby and is commonly used in the NICU to examine the structures of the baby’s brain, heart, and abdomen

We at GWS believe in manufacturing high quality baby care equipment meeting the international standards of medical equipment. Our quality of products and handwork make us one of the largest baby care equipment manufacturer in India and worldwide.