Neonatal Assessment Flashcards
Neonate Definition
A newborn baby in the first 28 days of life
There may be some variability on the exact number of days but generally, it is the first 28/month
This does not take into consideration if the baby was a term baby or a preterm baby
Embryo Definition
Embryo: <10 weeks gestation
Fetus Definition
Fetus: 10 weeks till birth
Pre-Term Baby
Pre-Term Baby: Born between 20- 37 weeks gestation
Any baby that is born <23 weeks will tend to have a lot of issues and chances of survival are low
There are further divisions in the preterm classifications
Term Baby
Born within 38-42 weeks
Post Term Baby
Born after 42 weeks
Trimesters
1st < 12 weeks
2nd 13-28 weeks
3rd > 28 weeks
Gravidity
Number of pregnancies
If the mother gives birth to twins or multiple births it is still considered 1
An abortion will be considered a pregnancy under this definition
Parity
Number of pregnancies that where carried to viable gestation (>23 weeks)
Gravida/Para/Abortus
(charting shorthand is GPA)
G [# of pregnancies] P [# Carried to viable age] A {# of abortions]
If there are no abortions then we just drop the A
If a woman has had 2 pregnancies both that where live births it would be G2P2
KNOW this as it is a common question
Nullgravida
Never been pregnant
Nullpara
Never carried passed20 weeks
Primipariety
First pregnancy
Sources for Pt Information and Background
- Daily report
- Chart
- There may be a cardex which will give you the most recent and important information, then if you need more information you can look into the fully chart
- Bedside Nurse
- Family (Parents)
The Pt Information and Background should give you a feel for
- Patient and maternal history
- Prenatal and delivery history
- The prenatal history not always be available for us
- If mom is addicted to drugs or alcohol the baby may come out with respiratory depression
- Major clinical events
- Current clinical status
- Ex. In babies if they go apneic and have bradycardia at the same time it means that we have to improve their ventilation
- Current orders and PCP
What are the PPE Precaution in the Special Care Nursery and NICU
- Even before you start your shift you will begin with a 60 second hand wash
- It is required to take off everything below the elbows such as jewelry and watches and no long sleeves
- There will be a stethoscope that is at the bedside and specific for each patient
- Make sure to always keep hair up and everything pulled back and not hanging into the environment
- Make sure to wipe down your pager, ID, and everything external that you are bringing into the environment
- Absolutely no food or drink
- Wipe down all common surfaces
- Neatly trimmed and cleaned nails
- Stay home when you are sick
- Ex. The rhino virus is a common cold in adults but can be very severe in infants
Labor and Delivery Isolation Precautions
It is a clean procedure not a sterile procedure
However a C section in the OR is a sterile procedure
Vap Bundles Adults
HOB at 30 degrees
Inline suction
Limit circuit changes
VAP Bundle Neonates
- HOB at 15 degrees
- Preventing oral secretion from getting pass the tube and moving the gravity dependant condensation in the heated circuits downwards
- Inline suction
- Decreases circuit break
- You wont do open suction on a neonate
- Limit circuit breaks
- Only required when indicated or solid
- Single use nasal catheter
- Continuously assess for extubation
- Majority of the time we extubate to CPAP or BiPAP in order to help prevent VAP and allow lungs to develop normally
- Monitor sputum
Goals of Care
- Will be the same as with adults, but you will find that in neonatal they tend to make special consideration such as resuscitation on babies we know are not viable
- Resuscitation
- Medical care and interventions including resuscitation followed by admittance into the NICU
- Medical
- Medical care and interventions not including resuscitation
- Comfort
- Medical care interventions with the focus on comfort
Initial Impression
- Before you go in for your assessment make sure that you are coordinating your care with other disciplines and when they are doing their assessment in order to prevent unnecessary disruption to the baby as well opening and closing the isolette door may cause a draft and make the baby cold
- Utilize your visual evaluation of the patient and bedside monitors as much as possible to prevent disrupting the baby
- Perform the “inspection” of IPPA to gather an overall impression of the patient clinical status
- With NICU remember you can not always touch a baby so you have to rely a lot on the monitor
Many clinicians prefer to do the “monitoring” of the patient before the physical exam components. This allows collection of “baseline” data before disturbing the patient.
NOTE: The initial visual evaluation may reveal that in immediate intervention is required, however! (e.g. coughing/desaturation requiring suctioning).
Noise Controls
Noise can affect babies hearings
Even your normal speaking voice can be too loud
Set your pager to vibrate
Turn down vent alarms and monitors
Try to be as quiet as possible when closing the isolette door
In all NICU there will be a period of silence for 2 hours
Neutral Thermal Enviroment (NTE)
- We have to be very concerned about babies maintaining a normal temperature
- If they do not maintain a normal temperature it will affect oxygen demand
- Neonates are very susceptible to hypothermia due to their decreased surface area and body fat
- Premature babies will not have produced brown fat which would keep them warm
What are the Different Types of Heat Loss
Conduction
Evaporation
Radiation
Convection
Mechanism of Heat Loss-Conduction
What: Body heat loss to a cooler contact surface
Prevention: Avoid placing the baby on a cool surface
Devices: Use a warmed dry blanket, use preheated radiant warmers
Mechanism of Heat Loss-Evaporation
What: Removal of heat from a body that occurs as the liquid evaporates
Prevention: Increase room humidity, dry the baby, wrap the baby, bag the preemie, and humidify the inspiratory gases
Devices: Use warmed blankets to dry and wrap the baby and use humidifers
Mechanism of Heat Loss-Radiation
What: Heat loss to a cooler surface not in contact with the body
Prevention: Keep incubators heated or heat shielded, keep the room temperature high
Devices: Use a heated shielded incubator, use bonnets to cover the babies head
Mechanism of Heat Loss-Convection
What: Heat loss to cooler surrounding air
Prevention: Keep room temperature high, avoid drafts, and keep the baby covered
Devices: Use a radiant warmer or isolette
Radiant Warmer
- Used for overhead warming
- Body temperature can be maintained via servo mode, with a skin probe which is normally attached to the abdomen
- The giraffe isolette is the radiant warmer and does not have closed sides
- Used for older premature and term babies
Closed Isolette
Use for low birth weight infants with temperature instability (hypothermia)
Maintains a constant body temperature by using either a servo-controlled skin probe, air temperature control device, or air temperature probe
Should be double walled or heat shielded (will look almost cloudy which makes assessment more difficult)
What are the basic assessments and physical examination for CNS
PIPP
General Neurological State
Activity Level and Ability to Settle
Fontanel
Tone/Reflex
Head Circumference
Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP)
- As baby will not show pain in typical ways we use these scores (can desat with scores)
- Minimum score of zero and maximum score of 21
- The higher score correlates with the greater pain
- Lower gestational age will have a higher PIPP
- Done at admission to NICU (will determine how often done after), before and after procedures
Non Pharmacological Ways to Help Babies with Pain
- Rocking
- Re positioning
- Diaper change
- Decreasing environmental stimuli
- Skin to skin
- Prone positioning
- Breastfeeding
- Giving the baby sucrose (not available for intubated patients)
State of the Baby
- Undisturbed/Disturbed
- Crying
- Active awake
- Quiet alert-Not moving around a lot but still aware of you
- Drowsy-Touching them and they are slow to wake up it can be very similar to deep sleep which is why it is difficult to assess
- Active asleep-Moving around in their sleep
- Deep sleep
- Sedated
- Comatose-Babies may be comatose when they are very sedated (ex. Therapeutic hypothermia, massive head injury or brain bleeds)
Activity Level and Ability to Settle
Appropriate -Are they acting appropriately for their gestations age (term babies will have more tone and strength compared to preemies)
Jittery May indicate pain, repositioning, diaper change
Lethargic
Unresponsive
Paralyzed-It is rare that we will actually paralyze a baby
Intolerant of Handling
Fontanel
###
The fontanel is the non-ossified part of the skull and we will gently feel them for assessment
Soft & Flat
Depressed
Overriding Sutures-Will happen normally and will resolve quickly but if it is an early or late fusion it can lead to distorted skulls
Full/Bulging-Could mean we are giving them too much fluid or that there is a bleed
Tone and Reflex
- Appropriate
- Flaccid
- Hypertonic
- Bring in the extremities
- Baby in pain or cold
- Hypotonic
Check tone right away
Head Circumference
- Chest circumference ~ head circumference
- Term infant:
- Occipitofrontal circumference: around the front of the head above the brow and the occiput (occipital area)
- Above the ears
- Normally 32-37 cm at term
- Accessing development at birth & trending growth
- Head circumference, weight & length percentiles are recorded and trended
EEG
Used to assess seizure activity
CT Scan
Looks for bleeds or fluid in subdural or subarachnoid space
Assesses parenchyma
Skull #s
MRI
Myelination
Ischemic or hemorrhagic lesions
Agenesis of corpus callosum
AV malformations
Ultrasound
Performed at the bedside to check for intracranial and intraventricular hemorrhage
If there is a hemorrhage we can grade them based off of the CT scan (Grade 4 being the worse) and then take the baby to CT and MRI for more information
Most common is germinal matrix hemorrhage and is more common in the premature infants and they might be getting ultrasounds daily in order to assess for this
Can also be used to find hydrocephaly
Lumbar Punctures
Obtain CSF for diagnosis [meningitis, encephalitis, intracranial hemorrhage], check response of CNS infections to ABX, administer intrathecal meds
Specimen can be sent for: gram stain, C&S, glucose, protein, CBC & differential, or rapid testing for specific pathogens
Lumbar puncture will be inbetween the 4th and 5thlumbar vertebra in order to avoid the spinal cord which ends at about the L2 level
CNS Pharmacology-Sedation
Lorazepam- This is a benzo and an antianxiety medication
Phenobarbital- This is a barbiturate that is stronger than a benzo and is commonly used for seizures
We try to not over sedate in babies in order to avoid side effects (not as worried about delirium like we are worried about in adults)
CNS Pharmacology-Analgesia
Remeber that analgesic are used to help decrease the sensation of pain
Fentanyl-Less depressant effects than morphine
Morphine- Causes chest wall ridigity
Tylenol
Pain meds can be given intrathecal but as a last resort
CNS Pharmacology-Paralytics
Pancuronium
Vecuronium
Paralytics are not commonly used in neonates
A side effect of paralytics is the result of third spacing where we will them have to give them more volume to draw the fluid out of the 3rd space
Paralytics are commonly used with therapeutic hypothermia
Therapeutic Hypothermia Used For
Used to treat hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) at birth (perinatal asphyxia) in order to try and prevent/minimize the long term consequence of brain injury
Cerebral Palsy (CP), cognitive and visual impairments
If a baby is breach or has the vocal cord around their neck they may lose oxygenation
Therapeutic Hypothermia Mechanism of Action
- Reduces
- swelling, bleeding & infection
- edema, hemorrhage & neutrophil infiltration
- Excitatory neurotransmitters
- Free radical production
- protects cells from oxidative damage during reperfusion
- Cerebral tissue injury
- swelling, bleeding & infection
Infant undergoing hypothermia may exhibit
- Reduction of HR and Elevation of BP
-
Clotting Disorders
- Lower platlet counts and long prothrombin time
- Worsening Acidosis
-
Possible worsening oxygenation secondary to pulmonary hypertension
- When PPHN occurs with HIE we are compounding the problem
- Abnormal EEG
-
Skin Breakdown
- Secondary to decreased perfusion and lack of movement
-
Hyponatremia and Hypokalemia
- Will do blood work every 6 hours to check for this
Clinical Neurological Examination
All infants should undergo a brief neurological assessment (tone & reflexes) as part of the an initial examination
posture, movement, muscle tone, reflexes, cranial nerve and oromotor function, sensory responses, and behaviour
The normal full term infant will assess in a particular way
High risk infants require a more in-depth neurodevelopmental assessment
High Risk Infants
- Prematurity
- Intrauterine Growth Retardation (IUGR)
- We see this in moms who smoke which will make the baby hypoxic and have a growth retardation
- It can also occur if there is a placenta deficiency
- Asphyxia
- Very low APGAR score (0-3) for > 10 mins
- Associated with high mortality >50%
- If the baby survives only 25% will have a major handicap (Gomella)
- TORCH Infections
- Meningitis
- Tested through LP
- Hypoglycemia or Polycythemia
- Will be associated with neurological disability
- In utero exposure to drugs
TORCH Infections
Toxoplasmosis (Protozoan)-Cat Feces, raw meat
Other (syphilis)
Rubella
Cytomegalovirus
Herpes simple virus/hepatitis/HIV
CVS Basic Assessment and Physical Exam
Perfusion
Edema
Peripheral Temperature
Colour
Precordial
Heart Sounds
Perfusion (Central/Peripheral)
- Central (core)
- Peripheral (extremities)-Temp, blood volume, CO, BP, Acid-base balance
- Capillary refill will be done on stoach or foot
-
Newborns have a low systemic output and high vasoconstriction
- This is completely normal for the 1st 24 hours
Changes in Perfusion can Come From
Change in environmental temperature
Circulating catecholamines which contribute to vasoconstriction
Transcutaneous Monitoring
Transcutaneous monitoring probes are put on the stomach and are commonly used in neonates when they are peripherally shut down.
It is a little more complex and comes with more risk but sometimes it has to be done
Cause of Inability to Maintain a Stable Temperature
Skin Temperature (36-36.5)
- Prematurity
- Shock
- Will be more pronounced in neonates
- In shock you can get more vasoconstriction or dilation which can affect temperature
- Decreased perfusion
- Cardiac abnormalities
- They will either have persistent fetal circulation or are structurally abnormal
Why are all babies at risk for temperature instability and heat loss
All babies even term babies are at a risk for temperature instability it is just that pre mature babies are at more of a risk. Babies require entirely on the metabolism of brown fat which makes up 5%
They rely entirely on the metabolism of brown fat (easily metabolized fat that accumulates prior to birth to assist baby in keeping warm) and glycogen for heat production
Premature babies are more susceptible to temperature because if they are below 26 weeks they have no brown fat
When the baby is peripherally very cold and unable to warm up we can give vasodilators and fluid
When measured rectally core temperature should be 36.5-37.5
Low body weight and preterm babies have additional risks
- Little Sub q fat
- Preemies born prior to 26 weeks have no brown fat
- High body surface area to weight ratio
- Pediatrics have this too
- Reduced glycogen stores
To help promote normal temperature in babies
Keep room warm
Be quick with your assessment when you are opening isolette
Cold Stress
Cold Stress: Any environment where a newborn baby is not warm enough
In the presence of mild cold stress, the normal newborn will respond by peripheral vasoconstriction
This will increase the amount of norepinephrine and in turn metabolize brown fat
Norepinephrine will break down brown fat into fatty acids which hydrolyze into glycerol and nonesterified fatty acids which are oxidized to produce heat to increase body temperature
Non-Shivering Thermogenesis
- Glycogen will be converted to glucose to generate energy
- This requires increased metabolic and O2 demands that can be met through normal fat stores and feedings
- Which is why for a baby that is cold their sats may drop
- This requires increased metabolic and O2 demands that can be met through normal fat stores and feedings
- This means that is glycogen stores are low babies are unable to warm themselves
- Glycogen store may be low when they have an inability to feed (ex. Delayed sucking response) or a premature GI tract
- When the baby is cold they may start to use anerobic glycolysis will lead to metabolic acidosis