Best Nursing Practices for Premature Neonatal Care
Lumchio Levis Murry, Geetanjli Kalyan, Poonam Joshi, Vinitha Paul Ravindran
Abstract
Nurses play a vital role at all levels of health care. A NICU is a highly specialized area to care for critically ill and premature neonates. Premature neonates present with unique problems and challenges in terms of ensuring adequate nutrition and thermoregulation and handling the increased risk of infections and other complications due to prematurity. These neonates need to be cared for by nurses with specialized training, and it is of utmost importance that nurses working in this area are updated with advancements in nursing care and evidence-based best practices. Areas of evidence-based nursing care include thermoregulation, developmentally supportive care, nutrition, oxygen therapy, prevention of retinopathy of prematurity, infection prevention, skin care, family-centered care, communication and counseling, leadership, and quality improvement. The role of nurses in providing neonatal care with gentleness and compassion and as a liaison between the parents and their neonates cannot be emphasized enough. Nurses must make the most of their unique role in the health care team, while practicing within their professional boundaries.
This review aims to outline the best nursing practices in the NICU based on current scientific evidence.
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