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Preemie Books
The
Preemie Parents Companion: The Essential Guide to Caring for Your Premature Baby
in the Hospital, at Home, and Through the First Years by Susan L Madden M.S,
William Sears MD, Jane E Stewart MD
| ***Because
preemies have very specific issues, I have not addressed their special needs in
this context. There is information available from La Leche League International
on the special situation of breastfeeding a preemie. ambu bag (am-boo')--a mask attached to a bag which is filled with oxygen. There is a rubber middle that can be squeezed. It is used to give the baby extra oxygen if the oxygen levels have gone down for some reason. It is especially used when a baby is on the ventilator. art line--an abbreviation for "arterial line". It is similar to an IV but it is inserted into an artery as opposed to a vein. It is often considered necessary for the purpose of keeping a close check on oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in a baby that is on a ventilator. attending--the physician on duty who is ultimately responsible for all care in his/her own specialty. bolus--a term that is used to describe any type of fluid that is put in through a tube in a fairly quick way. This can describe IV fluids or milk that is put down a feeding tube. catheter--describes any long, thin, tubing. Different types are used as feeding tubes, for IV lines and for suctioning. cc--an abbreviation for "cubic centimeters". It is a fluid measure. Approximately 33 cc's is equal to 1 ounce. This term is interchangeable with ml. charge nurse--the charge nurse is the nurse on duty who is the supervisor of all other nurses in the same unit. Also "head nurse." chart--the chart is where ALL information regarding your child is written during the hospital stay. Physician's orders, nurse's notes, medications, special instructions and results of all tests and consultations are kept in this binder. You have every right to review the chart at any time. They may want you to have a doctor present to answer any question, but they can not deny you access to the chart. child life specialist--the people whose job it is to see that anything that might make the hospital stay easier for your child is provided. i.e. a tape recorder to play tapes from home, a mobile to hang up for visual stimulation, a baby swing for the room, etc. code--the common term that is used to describe cardiac arrest. cpt--an abbreviation for "chest physio-therapy". A baby that has a lot of congestion in the lungs or is on a ventilator may have difficulty coughing the mucous up on his own. A special technique is used (sometimes with a special piece of equipment, sometimes with just their hands) to tap on the chest and back in order to dislodge the mucous from the lungs to enable the baby to get rid of it. cut down--a technique sometimes resorted to when an arterial line must be placed. A small incision is made and the line is inserted visually into the artery. This is common with small babies because their arteries are so small they are often hard to find. dietician--a medical professional whose job is to monitor any actual food (formula or breastmilk) that is being given to the baby. She/he calculates calories and may make suggestions on ways to increase intake. diuretics--drugs that encourage fluid loss. They are commonly used after surgery to counteract the retention of fluid which is the body's natural response to trauma. DNR--an abbreviation for the term "Do Not Resuscitate". This is used to indicate that no extreme measures are to be taken in the event of cardiac arrest. drip--refers to any medication or fluid which is allowed to "drip" into an IV line. et tube--stands for "endo-tracheal" tube. This refers to the tube that is put down the throat to enable use of a ventilator. extubate--removal of the et tube. fellow--a doctor who is receiving extra years of training in their chosen specialty. foley--a type of catheter that is inserted into the urethra to allow drainage of the bladder and collection of urine samples. HMF or Human Milk Fortifier--often used to increase the number of calories in breastmilk that is being tube or bottle-fed to a sick baby. It was developed for premature infants and may cause electrolyte imbalances or allergic reactions. hyperal--a type of IV nutrition that is given when food is not possible or advisable. ins--the common term for the number of cc's of food, medication and IV fluids taken in during a given time. intubate--the procedure of putting an et tube into the throat to enable use of the ventilator. IV--refers to an "intravenous line". This is a catheter inserted into a vein for the purpose of administering medication. kilogram--a metric unit of weight. One kilogram is equal to 2.2 pounds. (abbr. is k) lactation consultant--she is a medical professional (usually board certified-IBCLC) whose job is to help mothers overcome problems to successfully breastfeed their babies. lactation specialist--often a nurse with some extra knowledge of breastfeeding. She may take the place of a certified LC in some hospitals, but she may not be as knowledgeable as an LC would be. La Leche League Leader--a mother who has breastfed her own children and who volunteers her time to support breastfeeding mothers and help them through any difficulties that may arise with breastfeeding. She has a tremendous wealth of resources available and is accredited by LLL International to counsel breastfeeding mothers. neonatologist--a doctor who specializes in the care of newborn babies. ng tube--"non per os" nothing by mouth. O2--the abbreviation for oxygen. OT--the abbreviation for "occupational therapist". An OT works with babies that have feeding problems and also works with people who have difficulty with fine motor control. outs--describes the amount of fluid (vomit, urine, blood) and bodily waste that is lost in a given time period. This is compared to the "ins". pediatric intensivist--a doctor that specializes in critical care of children. po--"per os" by mouth. port--term refers to the place in an IV or tube that is used to put in medications or food. pulse-ox--a special monitor that uses a glowing band aid (that's what it looks like) to monitor the heart rate and the level of oxygenation in the blood. q--stands for "every" and is used as in "q-4" to mean that something is supposed to happen every 4 hours. This refers to medications, taking vital signs and similar purposes. resident--a doctor who is in training before going on to their own practice. RT--stands for "respiratory therapist". These are the people who adjust oxygen levels, monitor ventilators, administer breathing treatments and "cpt." sat--this refers to the oxygen saturation level given by the pulse-ox and it is expressed in a percentage. SNS--stands for "Supplemental Nutrition System" and is sometimes used to allow weak babies to be fed at the breast. It is also used to enable adoptive mothers to nurse their babies. social worker--the person who helps ensure that you have adequate financial help and can help arrange for social support if you have none. suction--describes the process by which excess mucous is removed from the nose, mouth and (in the case of a ventilator dependent baby) the lungs. A rigid tube (yankeuer [yon'ker]) or a catheter is attached to a vacuum source and is then used to suck out the mucous. tech--term that refers to any person whose only job is to operate some type of equipment. i.e. x-ray, EEG, sonogram machine operators. vent--an abbreviation for the term "ventilator". ventilator--a machine that delivers oxygen and can actually breathe for a baby that is not able to breathe on his own. yankeuer (yon'ker)--a rigid plastic rod that is used with a vacuum source for suctioning. Copyright © 1998 Cyndi Egbert. All rights reserved. Please e-mail all reprint requests to Cyndi at: CyndiMom23@aol.com. Breastfeeding the Hospitalized Baby-Main Text |
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