Class of 2012 Abstract / Specific Aims: The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare clinical outcomes and cost involved with use of poractant versus beractant for the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in a level III, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) within an academic medical center. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients if they were admitted to the NICU for RDS between April 1, 2010 to November 30, 2010 and December 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011 treated with beractant and poractant respectively. Patients were excluded from the study if they were greater than 35 weeks gestational age and survived less than 48 hours. This is a review and the information needed from the patients was submitted in a data extraction form. Data collected included demographic variables (age, birthweight, birth length, gender, and race/ ethnicity), FiO2 measurement, mechanical ventilation time, length of hospitalization in the NICU, the incidence complications in the first 28 days, number of doses given, use of the nasal CPAP, concurrent complications or comorbidites such as pulmonary hemorrhage, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, patent ductus arteriosis, intraventricular hemorrhage, and retinopathy of maturity. Main Results: Data from 27 neonates in beractant and 13 in poractant groups were collected. The FiO2 measurements in both groups were generally similar. However, FiO2 was consistently lower in the poractant group. (p = 0.044 from a runs statistical test) Conclusions: The FiO2 measurement is poractant group was lower compared with beractant group, however the difference was noted to be not statistically significant.

Qu’est-ce qu’une décision ? Comment se construit-elle dans la vraie vie ? La vision d’une décision située entre délibération et action correspond-elle à une réalité ? Est-elle l’acte qui crée une rupture dans le cours des évènements ?Pour explorer ces questions et secouer les cadres de la décision, ce travail s’est appuyé sur l’expérience humaine davantage que sur des analysesthéoriques. C’est à la lumière de la narration de parents ayant perdu leurnouveau-né en réanimation, trois ans auparavant suite à une décision depoursuivre ou non des traitements, que nous proposons de revoir la notion dedécision.Le regard et le discours rétrospectifs des parents entendus lors d’un entretiende recherche dévoilent tout un univers et les circonstances dramatiques dans les quelles ils ont été amenés à se déterminer. C’est pris dans des émotions très fortes envers leur nouveau-né et dépendants des attitudes des soignants qu’ils se sont approchés de leur enfant et qu’ils se sont décidés ; nous constatons les ressources qu’ils ont puisées à l’intérieur d’eux-mêmes pourrépondre à ces demandes des soignants. Dans ce contexte les actes delangage sont évoqués : par le seul fait de le dire, les parents réussissent à sedécider mais non à décider des actions des médecins.Les parents évoquent aussi leur présent, en tant qu’avenir d’un passé certes révolu mais qui se prolonge par la mémoire. Au présent, ils inscrivent leur narration dans la traversée du deuil et attribuent à l’enfant perdu et à peine connu, une puissance d’âme qui dépasse largement ce qui peut être imaginé.Les sentiments de responsabilité et de culpabilité qu’ils éprouvent face à eux mêmes et face au petit mort donnent du sens au passé et participent a posteriori à une inscription de soi en tant qu’un des acteurs dans cette histoire.La délibération semble possible après la mort de l’enfant ; elle vient après coup insérer une forme de liberté humaine et de raison dans cette histoire.Revenant dans l’univers des soignants, ce travail se termine par une réflexion sur les conditions nécessaires pour qu’une telle décision soit acceptable à10long terme pour des parents : c’est un choix non pas idéal mais raisonnable et suffisamment bon pour l’enfant, une décision partagée sous la forme d’une discussion, qui se construit dans le récit de leur vie. La possibilité de créer soi même quelque chose de personnel avec son enfant illumine cette histoire.La question que nous traitons est éthique en elle-même car elle participe à un questionnement philosophique de l’action. Elle est d’ordre éthique et philosophique, mais aussi pratique. Les parents vivent cette histoire sous le regard des soignants qui révèlent dans l’interaction la considération qu’ils ont pour eux et la prise en compte de leur vulnérabilité. Le discours des parents,ici accompagné d’une réflexion rationnelle, pourrait favoriser l’émergence chez les soignants d’émotions empathiques et du sentiment d’appartenir à une humanité commune. Sous cette forme, il peut aussi constituer un moyen didactique fort pour remettre en question des représentations un peu stéréotypées et plus généralement le modèle de la décision vécue en médecine. / What is a decision ? How is a decision constructed, processed in real life ? Is a decision always temporally situated between deliberation and action ? Is it the action that ruptures reality at that point ? To explore these questions and question the limits of decision-making, this work has been created from an experience rather than theoretical analysis. Parental narration about the loss of their newborn in the NICU, three years before, in the aftermath of e decision to forgo life saving treatment, enlightens our analysis about what decision making actually is. Parental retrospective view and discourse gathered during a research interview unveil a unknown world of emotions and dramatic circumstances. In this context parents have to decide. It is with contradictory feelings towards their newborn and dependancy on caregivers that parents have come closer to their child and decided themselves. We enlighten the resource they have found insight themselves to reach from these requests from the carers.In this context, speech acts are brought up : by the fact of saying their decision, parents succeed in making their mind up but they do not decide what physician’s actions will be. Parents also speak about their present life and feelings ; the present time is seen as the future of a past bygone but that goes on in the memory. Today, they describe their crossing of the mourning. The lost child’s, scarcely known, appears now as a soul, with a power that exceeds largely what could be imagined. Feelings of guilt and responsibility experienced towards oneself and towards their dead child give sense to the past. These feelings retrospectively participate in creating a view of oneself as an actor in what happened. Deliberation seems possible even after the child’s death. Il puts in the aftermath, a form of human freedom ad rationality. Finally, we return to the world of the caregivers and end with an analysis of the conditions of a “sufficiently” good decision, acceptable in the long term for the parents.

Introdução: O copo vem sendo utilizado e recomendado como método alternativo de alimentação de bebês quando, por algum motivo, estes ainda não podem ser amamentados, sendo importante conhecer melhor a técnica aplicada pelos profissionais para alimentar os recém-nascidos pré-termo (RNPT) nas unidades de terapia intensiva (UTIs) neonatais. Objetivos: Investigar a opinião de profissionais que atuam na UTI neonatal sobre o uso do copo na alimentação do recém-nascido pré-termo, avaliar o uso do copo pelos profissionais que atuam na UTI neonatal, e verificar a segurança e a eficiência da deglutição durante o uso do copo nessa população. Materiais e método: Os dados foram coletados em UTIs neonatais de seis hospitais de diferentes regiões do Brasil. Foi aplicado um questionário sobre a técnica do copo a 58 profissionais e realizada filmagem de 32 RNPT durante a alimentação com o copo. Os questionários foram submetidos à análise de conteúdo. As filmagens foram analisadas quanto à aplicação da técnica, eficiência e segurança da deglutição. Os dados passaram por análise descritiva e estatística (p<0,05). Utilizou-se os testes Correlação de Spearman, Teste de Mann-Whitney, Teste de Kruskal-Wallis e Teste Qui-Quadrado. Resultados: O questionário foi respondido por sete fonoaudiólogos, dez enfermeiros, 12 médicos e 29 auxiliares/técnicos de enfermagem. A maioria dos profissionais relatou usar a técnica para evitar confusão de bicos (58,62%), não ter recebido treinamento (62,07%), não ter dificuldade para executá-la (69,94%), porém, usar estratégias/recursos quando necessário (60,34%); consideraram a técnica segura (62,06%), mas não o melhor método de alimentação (56,90%) porque os bebês apresentam dificuldades para alimentar-se com ela (75,86%). Na avaliação da técnica, a maioria não aceitou todo o volume prescrito (75%), utilizou-se copo plástico (80%), posicionado acima da língua do RN (96,87%) e todos ofereceram pausas aos RNs. Os RNPT encontravam-se em estado de alerta e posição inclinada. Quanto à eficiência, houve predominância de RNPT que não apresentaram movimento de sorver (84,37%), com pouco escape (56,25%). Quanto à segurança, não houve alteração no nível de saturação de oxigênio, a maioria não alterou o padrão respiratório (59,37%), nem foi observado engasgo (71,87%) e tosse (75%). Observou-se correlação positiva entre tempo de oferta e volume aceito. O volume aceito por bebês que apresentaram movimento de sorver foi significativamente menor aos que não apresentaram. Bebês com muito escape tiveram tempo de via oral significativamente menor aos que apresentaram pouco ou ausência de escape. Conclusão: A maioria dos profissionais investigados não receberam treinamento, não referiram dificuldades na execução, mas afirmaram que os bebês apresentam dificuldade em alimentar-se com copo, consideram o uso do copo seguro, mas não o melhor método de alimentação. A avaliação do uso do copo permitiu concluir que a oferta de alimento foi realizada por auxiliares/técnicos de enfermagem, em copo plástico, com os bebês em estado de consciência e posição corporal adequados, porém, com incorreta execução. Além disso, a técnica se mostrou segura, porém, ineficiente, pois sua execução não proporcionou ingestão do volume adequado prescrito devido a administração inadequada, por profissionais sem treinamento adequado. / Introduction: Cup-feeding is an alternative method of feeding infant breastmilk when the baby is reluctant or refuses to latch. In order to promote protection and support for the infants, its important to ensure that the cup feeding technic is done safely by heath care providers in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Objectives: The aims of this study were to verify and assess the feeding cup practices and techniques currently being used by healthcare NICU professionals, and to explore the opinions and beliefs of health professionals with regard this method. Subjects and methods: Neonatal intensive care units of six Brazilian hospitals agreed to participate in this study. A cup-feeding technic questionnaire was administered to 58 healthcare professionals and 32 NICU healthcare professionals were filmed while cup feeding premature infants. The questionnaires and the efficacy and efficiency cup-feeding method used by the healthcare professionals were analyzed. Descriptive and inferential statistics was used to analysis the data on this study (P<0,05). This study was also analyzed using spearman rank correlation test, Mann-Whitney test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Qui-Quadrado test. Results: The questionnaire was answered by seven speech-therapists, ten nurses, 12 physicians, and 29 certified nursing assistants. Most of the healthcare professionals stated to use the cup-feeding method to avoid nipple confusion (58,62%). Over half of healthcare professionals were not trained on how to use cup-feeding method (62,06%). However, most of the professionals stated to not have difficulties using the method (62,07%). Nevertheless, not all of the professionals use the method when it is appropriated (60,34%). Most of the healthcare professionals consider cup-feeding a safe method (62,06%); but not the best method to feed the infant (59,90%) due to swallowing issues (75,86%). The majority of premature infants were not able to intake the full amount of volume prescribed to them (75%). A plastic cup was used to feed the infants (80%). The cup was placed on top of the infants tongue (96,87%) and pauses were given to let the infant rest between swallow (100%). All infants were alert and correctly positioned during feeds. However, most of the infants were not able to slurp the milk (84,37%) and milk loss was noted (56,25%). As for safety, there was no change in oxygen saturation level, most did not alter the respiratory pattern (59,37%), nor was choking (71,87%) and cough (75%) observed. The pause breaks offered during cup feeding were positive. The oral intake of the infants able to slurp was less compared to the infants that could not slurp. It was also noted that the longer ingestion time, the lower would be the milk loss. Conclusion: Most of the healthcare professionals evaluated in this study did not receive proper cup-feeding training; however, they denied difficulties performing the method. The healthcare professionals stated that even though cup-feeding is a safe method, it is not the best method to feed infants. The analysis of the films showed that all infants were alert and correctly positioned during cup-feeding and a plastic cup was used to feed them. However, the infants intake was less than recommended for them. Cup-feeding method is safe method. However, it can put infants at risk when practiced by untrained healthcare professionals; leading to questionable efficacy and efficiency of the method when not properly performed.

Submitted by Geyciane Santos (geyciane_thamires@hotmail.com) on 2015-05-20T15:59:56Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação- Andréa Leão Leonardo Pereira de Freitas.pdf: 1308849 bytes, checksum: a890eb7960c3ae25e4bcedf02009f503 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-20T15:59:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação- Andréa Leão Leonardo Pereira de Freitas.pdf: 1308849 bytes, checksum: a890eb7960c3ae25e4bcedf02009f503 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-07-19 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This research aims at investigating an array of possible interventions of psychologists in antenatal intensive care units (ICU) involving preterm babies and their relatives. A comprehensive and qualitative methodology was applied to an interview-based data set obtained from people's opinions and perceptions about their own life experiences. The theoretical scope of this paper is based on a psychoanalytic perspective, hence the great number of scientific inquiries dealing with issues concerning mother-baby bonding. In this pursuit, six mothers of preterm babies who had already been hospitalized in antenatal ICUs were interviewed, together with four family members and two psychologists who worked in a public maternal care facility in Manaus. The data obtained through the semi-structured interview questions has been submitted to content analyses, through which thematic categories were indicated: 1- preterm births and maternal affective experiences; 2- the importance of the psychologists' interventions with mothers; 3- the importance of the psychologist’s interventions with relatives and parents; 4- the importance of the psychologist’s interventions according themselves. The most common sentiments reported by the mothers were: shock/denial; fear; guilt; sadness and impotence. The techniques and guidance used by the psychologist were shown to be interventions pertinent to the three groups interviewed (mothers, family members and psychologists). Aside from the interviews, the participant observation technique was employed in order to confront their discourse or responses with the subject's behavior, leading to the realization that the presence of the psychologist in the ICU did not occur in a systematic manner, despite the fact that all interviewees recognized the importance of this professional in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), demonstrating that their visits should occur more often. Individual and group interventions were held only with the group of mothers. In light of these facts, other possible interventions have been suggested, including parents, grandparents and health care staff. This research contributes positively to clarifying a professional attitude that may strengthen affective ties among preterm babies and their families, facilitating reductions in mortality levels and baby abandonment, and resulting evidently in better well-rounded developed individuals in the future. / Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo investigar as possibilidades de intervenção do psicólogo em Unidades de Terapia Intensiva neonatais com bebês pré-termos e seus familiares. O método utilizado foi o qualitativo/compreensivista, que se aplica ao estudo das opiniões e percepções das pessoas, a partir de suas vivências. O enfoque teórico da pesquisa foi o psicanalítico, haja vista o grande número de trabalhos científicos existentes que abordam questões relacionadas ao vínculo mãe-bebê pré-termo. Para tanto, foram entrevistadas seis mães de bebês pré-termos que já estiveram internados em UTI neonatal, quatro familiares e dois psicólogos que trabalham em uma maternidade pública de Manaus. Os dados obtidos por meio de entrevistas semi-estruturadas foram submetidos à análise de conteúdo, a partir da qual foram levantadas as seguintes categorias temáticas: 1) Nascimentos pré-termo e sentimentos vividos pelas mães; 2) Importância da atuação do psicólogo para as mães; 3) Importância da atuação do psicólogo para os familiares e 4) Importância da atuação do psicólogo segundo os próprios profissionais. Os sentimentos mais comuns relatados pelas mães foram: choque/negação; medo; culpa; tristeza e impotência. As técnicas de acolhimento psicológico e orientação apareceram como intervenções relevantes para os três grupos entrevistados (mães, familiares e psicólogos). Além das entrevistas, a observação participante foi utilizada para poder confrontar o discurso ou a fala com as ações dos sujeitos. Foi percebido que a presença do psicólogo no ambiente intensivista não ocorreu de modo sistematizado, apesar de todos os entrevistados terem reconhecido a importância da atuação desse profissional na unidade de UTI neonatal, o que mostra a necessidade de que suas visitas ocorram com maior regularidade. As intervenções individuais e em grupo ocorreram apenas com o grupo de mães. Diante disso, outras possibilidades de intervenção foram sugeridas, a fim de incluir os pais, avós e irmãos e a própria equipe de Saúde. Essa pesquisa contribui positivamente para o esclarecimento de posturas profissionais que podem fortalecer laços afetivos entre os bebês pré-termos e seus familiares, favorecendo a diminuição dos índices de mortalidade neonatal e de abandonos de bebês, além de possibilitar a constituição de indivíduos que futuramente terão um desenvolvimento global mais sadio.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit social workers are a particularly vulnerable group of professionals due to their chronic exposure to trauma. Current research has overlooked how social workers specifically can adopt certain strategies and coping mechanisms to prevent the symptoms associated with primary trauma, secondary trauma stress, compassion fatigue, and burnout. Thus, the study that follows was designed to explore the strategies and coping mechanisms utilized by NICU and PICU social workers. Data for this project was collected through the use of open-ended questions in an electronic survey format and analyzed through a conventional content analysis approach. Seven participants fully completed the survey and thus only their responses were considered in the analysis. Results of this study indicate the need for NICU and PICU social workers to gain additional education and training on primary trauma, secondary trauma stress, compassion fatigue and burnout so that they can actively participate in prevention. NICU and PICU social workers reported a range of strategies and coping mechanisms including the awareness of personal and professional barriers, consultation, exercise, among others. This study provides crucial information to an understudied area of research, provides a foundation for future research, and promotes the use of positive strategies and coping mechanisms by NICU and PICU social workers so that they can continue to provide the best services possible for the patients they serve.

Neonatal septicaemia and nosocomial infection are major causes of morbidity in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) in both developed and developing countries. This study documents infective episodes at two resource disparate NICUs; the Grantley Stable Neonatal Unit (GSNU), Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH), Australia 1997-2006 and Danang NICU, Vietnam. The specific aims are: 1. To compare the incidence of neonatal septicaemia at RBWH and Danang NICU. 2. To compare of the epidemiological characteristics of nosocomial infections in the two NICUs. 3. To study risk factors associated with nosocomial infection in the two NICUs (including staff numbers, infant numbers and nursing workload). 4. To review published guidelines on healthcare physical environments and staffing levels and to survey the GSNU & Danang NICU in relation to these. 5. To develop a prospective surveillance system to monitor infection episodes in Danang NICU 6. To recommend strategies for the control of neonatal sepsis in Danang NICU. The GSNU at the RBWH, Australia is a 71 bed neonatal care facility with an established infection surveillance system in a well resource environment. Danang NICU, Vietnam provides care to a high risk neonatal population with no established infection surveillance system in a developing country with more limited resources. This study found the GSNU had a low rate of neonatal septicaemia, during the ten year period from 1997 to 2006 with 253 babies (2.1%) diagnosed with septicaemia. In Danang NICU, in the year 2007 alone, there were 52 cases (2.9%) of septicaemia documented but the incidence of neonatal infection is likely to have underestimated due to (i) the failure to collect blood culture before commencing antibiotic treatment. (ii) Difficulties associated with data retrieval from maternal and neonatal records and (iii) lack of a systematic surveillance system with prospectively collected data. The organisms causing early onset and late onset septicaemia were substantially different in the two NICUs. Group B streptococcus (GBS) and Escherichia coli were the major organisms causing early onset sepsis (EOS) at the GSNU, accounting for 37.8% and 29.7% respectively, whilst coagulase-negative staphylococcus (CONS) was the commonest organism (25.7%) for late onset sepsis (LOS). In Danang NICU, Klebsiella spp was the major pathogen and was responsible for 75% of neonatal septicaemia in both early and late onset sepsis. The isolation of Klebsiella spp in a high proportion of infants at less than 48 hours may suggest nosocomial or maternal route of acquisition. The rate of GBS infections in Danang Hospital, Vietnam, is hard to estimate and interpret due to limited microbiologic data. The anti-serum used to classify the Streptococcal types is not readily available in Danang Hospital. In some cases, organisms that are isolated are suspected to be GBS however, this is not confirmed microbiologically. The study identifies a high prevalence of neonatal septicaemia in Danang NICU. It identifies a close relationship between rates of infection and poor nursing care practices and limited resources. The standard care system used at the GSNU as well as the international literature was studied in relation to infection control practices. This was then used to develop the following recommendations that specifically target a reduction in infection rates in Danang NICU: 1. Implement an infection surveillance system 2. Report regularly from the database and embed discussion of the data into unit management policy 3. Revise neonatal and pathology practice in relation to blood cultures 4. Use shorter duration of antibiotics course based on culture results 5. Modify care practices that expose infants to cross infection 6. Identify specific staff with particular responsibilities in maintenance of standards

No description available.

Breast milk is considered the gold standard for infant nutrition, but many factors can hinder milk production. Mothers of infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) are especially prone to stress, which can inhibit volume of breast milk. The purpose of this study was to determine if music listening had an effect on the volume of breast milk pumped and relaxation level of mothers of infants in a NICU. A total of 28 participants, who were mothers of infants in the NICU, were included in the data analysis of this study, with 14 in the control group and 14 in the experimental group. Participants assigned to the experimental group listened to relaxing music during pumping sessions in the NICU, for the duration of their infant’s stay. Participants assigned to the control group pumped as they would normally without the music condition. Results indicated that there was a significant increase in relaxation scores in the music group, but no significant difference in volume of milk pumped. Further research should be done in this area to determine music’s effect on volume of milk pumped by mothers of infants in the NICU.

The birth of a child diagnosed with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) involves significant intensive care at the beginning of life and the need for surgery. Parents’ experiences during the acute phase of hospitalization for a critically ill infant not born premature is currently limited in the literature; in particular, there is no literature describing parents’ experiences of nursing care for having a infant with CDH in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Using narrative inquiry this study explores stories of parents’ early experiences of nursing care in the NICU for an infant born with CDH. A thematic analysis revealed a main overarching theme of “not knowing” with three interrelated subthemes related to parents’ need for information and open communication; participation, power and partnership; and nursing presence to transition from not knowing to knowing their infant. The findings from this study suggest that parents want to be recognized as key members within the multidisciplinary team and that the nurse has the ability to facilitate aspects of care to impact parents positively or negatively. Implications for practice focus on supporting parents through evolving empowerment and participation in the care of their infant. / Graduate / 0569

This research study seeks to better understand the experience of South Asian immigrant women in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The information gathered cannot be generalized to all South Asian and other immigrant populations nor is it the intent of this study. Instead, by examining the individual NICU experiences and challenges faced during this experience, themes emerge that can prompt neonatal nurses to examine their own practice with immigrant families. The main, overall theme identified in all participant responses was, Fear of the Unknown. Three subthemes that emerged from discussions regarding how participants experience nursing care were Trust, Teaching and Advocating. In terms of what participants identified as their most critical concerns while their infant was in the NICU, the three subthemes that arose were Language Barriers, Lack of Knowledge about the NICU and A More Comfortable NICU. On a broader scale, it is hoped that this research study will inspire all nurses to examine their interactions with all immigrant families in order to provide care that is holistic and individualized to the needs of their immigrant patient. / Graduate