None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
This pilot study would be implemented at Nepean Hospital on low birth weight babies born at less than 34 weeks or weighing less than 1400g at birth and to assess whether there is sufficient evidence for justification for weaning them more rapidly into a cot from a humidicrib once they reach 34 weeks gestation and or 1400g weight. There is a need to further investigate these outcomes in Australia as neonatal intensive care nurses and medical staff use their own judgement on an ad hoc basis to determine when premature and small for gestational age babies can be weaned into a cot and may be arbitrarily delaying their progress. Currently there is no evidence pertaining to this practice with babies weighing between 1400g to 1600g and this project addresses this gap. The hypothesis is that stable low birth weight babies who qualify for the enrolment criteria can successfully tolerate weaning once they consistently demonstrate a stable body temperature at the lowest incubator air temperature and this will have no impact on their temperature stability, weight gain and facilitate faster discharge from hospital.
Interventions
Neonatal nurses will assess the weaning criteria. The anticipated time to assess each neonate will be 10 minutes per neonate. Babies will be assessed as able to be weaned when reaching 34 weeks or weight of 1400g (if older).
Prior to weaning neonates' axillary temps will be assessed for 48 hrs and if over or equal to 36.7 degrees C and crib temp average less than or equal to 27 degrees C, the baby can be weaned to a cot.
The babies' temperatures will be closely monitored for 7 days from the po
Neonatal nurses will assess the weaning criteria. The anticipated time to assess each neonate will be 10 minutes per neonate. Babies will be assessed as able to be weaned when reaching 34 weeks or weight of 1400g (if older). Prior to weaning neonates' axillary temps will be assessed for 48 hrs and if over or equal to 36.7 degrees C and crib temp average less than or equal to 27 degrees C, the baby can be weaned to a cot. The babies' temperatures will be closely monitored for 7 days from the point of weaning into a cot. All details will be recorded onto an excel chart and in the medical records.
Sponsors
Nepean Hospital
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Primary purpose
Prevention
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
No minimum to 4 Months
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Born at less than 34 weeks gestation or weighing less than 1400g at birth Informed parental consent Needing incubator care for at least 72 hours
Exclusion criteria
Major congenital anomalies No parental consent
Outcome results
None listed