Mod 4 Critically Ill Neonates Flashcards
How often are humidified circuits changed?
Once a week
When gathering a patient history, what would you expect to see as major clinical events?
- Vent changes/mode
- Major meds (were they weaned?)
- Is the ventilation conservative or non conservative?
When assessing a babe, what should you do before disturbing the babe?
Visual inspection, check vital signs, vent monitoring
Why do you avoid disturbing the babe?
Neonates may appear more distressed than they are,
Generally, what are the 3 levels for Goals of Care Designation?
- “code status”
- Resuscitative
- Medial
- Comfort
What code status allows medical care, interventions, and resuscitation, followed by neonatal ICU?
Resuscitative
What code status seeks medical care and interventions, but excludes resuscitation
Medical
What are your primary goals when handling temperatures for babes?
- Maintain Neutral Thermic Environment (NTE)
- Skill and auxiliary temp probes should aim to be (36.5-37)
- Avoid hypothermia and hyperthermia
What are heart rate targets you should aim for in neonates?
- how is it monitored?
120-170 bpm (General baseline)
- Gold standard is ECG in NICU
- Advanced airways always need to be ECG monitored
How can you take a babes Heart rate?
- Palpate pulse at the base of umbilical cord
- Brachial pulse
- Auscultate over the precordium for apical beat
Normal Respiratory Rate (RR) for neonates?
40-60 bpm
- the lower the gestational age, the higher the RR (w/normal range)
What can Tachypnea indicate?
Hypoxemia, acidosis, anxiety, pain
What can Bradypnea indicate?
- Meds
- Hypothermia
- Neurologic impairment
How does gestational age affect respiratory rate?
Distress or level of development.
- higher RR within normal range w/lower gestational age
How do you estimate mean arterial pressure (MAP) in neonates?
Gestational age +5
Normal Blood pressure for neonates?
Hard to say because it increases as the babe gets older/heavier.
For Hemodynamics monitoring, how much blood should we take at a time from a neonate?
Take < 0.5 mL bc blood volume is a concern
- only take when necessary
- blood pressure more reliable
How is invasive monitoring generally performed in neonates ?
- Umbilical Artery Catheter
- Radial/tibial arterial line
What is the most common drug used to treat seizures in the NICU?
Phenobarbital
What drug class can’t be used in premature neonates?
- why?
Benzo’s can’t be used bc they can cause neurological problems.
Why can’t fentanyl be used in premature neonates?
Fentanyl can cause respiratory depression and chest wall rigidity
What is phenobarbital used for?
Seizures caused by hypoglycaemia, fever, and IVH
What drug class does Pancuronium fall under?
- what is its function?
Paralytic, stops all muscle movement.
Left off at UVC…
What’s not normal apnea?
Apnea of prematurity. aka lasts longer than 10-15 seconds (depending on source)
What is associated with normal respirations of neonates?
- Diaphragm is the primary muscle of respiration, chest wall moves very little
- Obligate nose breathers
- Irregular respirations
- Small interruptions in respiration are normal for a neonate
- Signs of work of breathing?
What are indications for a UVC line?
- Infusion of fluid
- Exchange transfusions
- Diagnostic contrast study
Normal SpO2 for infants on a Pulse Ox?
Typically 88-95%
- special considerations for cyanotic heart defect
How would you troubleshoot if a neonate desats?
- Stimulate the infant
- Observe for self recovery (short period of time)
- Increase FiO2 in small increments (2-3%)
- Bagging (last resort)
What do Histograms monitor?
Optimal SpO2 ranges/trends over a 24 hr period.
- Ranges, as in SpO2 trends in 91-95, 100-105 etc. etc.
What adjustments can you make to respiratory support to optimize SpO2 targets?
Goal is to achieve optimal FRC
- Adjust CPAP fit and seal
- Secretions
- Increases in pressure
What changes should you make if over distension is occurring?
- what does overdistenion mean?
Decrease support. Overdistension means O2 therapy is above targeted SpO2 ranges.
What is Transcutaneous Monitoring?
Non-invasive way of measuring CO2 and O2 tensions in the skin.
**Heated electrodes applied to skin arterioles, resulting values are approximates of arterial values)
What are 2 types of transcutaneous monitoring?
- Clark type (PO2)
- Severinghaus type (PCO2)
What are correction factors for Transcutanous Monitoring?
- aka what should you keep in mind about tc monitoring values?
tcpCO2 values are slightly higher and tcpO2 values are slightly lower
What are indications for Transcutaneous Monitoring?
- High frequency ventilation
- Invasive ventilator support (when etCO2 not an option)
- Non-invasive resp. support
- Any neonate where ventilation is a concern
Contraindications for Transcutaneous Monitoring?
- Very low birth weight infants (<28)
- Poor skin integrity
- Burns
- Allergy/Sensitivity to adhesive
What is the rule of thumb regarding Transcutaneous Monitoring temperature settings ?
Start w/low temps to assess skin integrity and reduce risk of burns.
- Lower temp settings will take greater time to equalize.
- Correlate w/ABGs (only one draw if line isn’t in)
What is temperature setting and frequency of site change dependant on?
Gestational Age
Optimal Sites for Transcutaneous Monitoring?
- Chest (below clavicles)
- Abdomen
- upper thigh
- upper arm
Where should you avoid putting Transcutaneous Monitors?
Over bone or nipple area bc they’re at greater risk of skin breakdown
Environmental considerations for babes?
Ambient noise, light, neutral thermal environment
What basic neurological assessment should be checked for infants?
Tone and reflex. A healthy baby will have spontaneous movement.
- high risk babes need a more in depth neuro assessment
- more tone as babes get closer to gestational age.
What neurological tests are performed for high risk infants?
Ballard/Dubowitz assessment
- done by nicu neoatlogist
What population/characteristics would be considered as a high risk infant?
- Premature
- Intrauterine Growth Restrictions (IUGR)
- Asphyxia
- “Torch” infections
- Meningitis
- Hypoglycemia or polycythemia
- Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS)
what are alerting signs of neurological compromise?
- Seizures
- Jitteriness
- Abnormal tone
Would you see decreased or increased tone in a hypoxic infant?
Decreased tone (floppy/flaccid)
What does hypertonia imply after a infant is stablized?
possible neurological injury (babe is super rigid)
What’s the difference between jitteriness and seizures?
If you gently hold hands and feet, jitter will stop. seizure won’t.
What are common causes of Jitteriness?
- Hypoglycemia and hypocalcemia
- Drug withdrawal
- Neonatal encephalophagy
What are traits of Jitteriness?
Symmetrical, rapid movements of hands + feet
- movements usually occur do to stimulus
- Jitteriness ends when held
What are traits of seizures
Subtle changes in activity, clonic movements, tonic posturing and do not stop when limb held
- Abnormal gaze/eye movement
- Autonomic changes (tachycardia, hypertension, apnea)
- Clonic jerking
Seizure management/treatment?
- Check airway and breathing
- Admin O2 therapy if needed.
- Check blood glucose levels
- establish continuous monitoring (cardiorespiratory)
- Treat w/phenobarbital
- Treat hypoglycemia if present
- EEG
After assessing tone for neurological damage, what are other neurological assessments that should be done?
- Pain
- Fontanels
- Pharmalogical interventions
- Therapeutic interventions
How is pain measured in infants?
Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP)
What procedures are used to test pain in infants?
Suction, ABG, CBG
When should PIPP be tested?
every big physical assessment before procedure
Why is pain difficult to assess in infants?
Their heart rates don’t spike or increase to pain. In adults, it is common to see tachycardia w/pain. because
- babes have a immature autonomic nervous system , they’re HR may not spike
According to the PIPP, what pain score range would you not have do anything?
Score 0-6
- No action required
According to the PIPP, what pain score range indicates slight to moderate pain?
- Interventions?
Score 7-12
- Give comfort measures
According to the PIPP, what pain score range would indicate severe pain?
- Interventions?
Scores > 12
- Pharmalogical interventions would be indicated
What are pain comfort measures?
- Sucrose
- Skin to skin (kangaroo care)
- Avoid excessive handling
- Repositioning/swaddling
- Decrease environmental stimuli (noise, light)
How does skin to skin (kangaroo care) provide comfort/pain relief?
- Stabilizes HR and RR
- Improves O2 sats
- Better regulates infants body temp and conserves calories
What does vent synchrony tell us about the baby?
They’re in pain or uncomfortable
Why is sedation and analgesia used in critically ill babes?
- Prevents pain and anxiety
- Decrease O2 consumption
- Decrease stress response
- Patient-vent synchrony
What do analgesics do?
Decrease sensation of pain