Download PDF
Am J Perinatol 1997; 14(5): 267-270
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-994141
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

© 1997 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.

Thermal Equipment Usage Patterns in Neonatal Intensive Care Units: Interunit Variability and Intraunit Consistency

John Seguin1 , John Hayes2
  • 1Section of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University and Children's Hospital
  • 2Research Information Services, Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
04 March 2008 (online)

    Permissions and Reprints

ABSTRACT

We conducted a survey and audit of thermal equipment use in very low-birth-weight infants in five Ohio neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) to document regional practice. The survey indicated a variety of thermal care styles. Two NICUs preferred to admit infants to incubators, the other three favoring radiant warmers. These three NICUs moved infants from radiant warmers into incubators at significantly different mean ages. The audit demonstrated inconsistent use of plastic covers, warming mattresses, and added humidity under radiant warmers, and discrepancies between survey responses and actual use within NICUs. Inter-NICU variability of thermal equipment use may complicate fluid management.

Keywords

Radiant warmers - incubators - audits - surveys

      >