(Exam 1) Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) exam Questions and Answers(A+ Solution guide)

NICU Levels - Because NICU's are so costly and such specialized treatment facilities they are categorized by level of care and region Level 1 NICU Level II NICU Level III NICU Level 1V NICU Level I NICU: - Able to identify at risk pregnancies and neonates; able to provide emergency care for complications; small community hospitals Level II NICU: - Usually in urban areas; able to manage most maternal and neonatal complications; transitional care nursery; in-house anesthesia; ventilation; neonatal monitoring; 24- hour blood gas; radiography / ultrasonography, nutritional and respiratory therapy Examples: Central Maine Medical Center, Lewiston, Maine Maine General, Augusta, Maine Level III NICU: - Full range of maternal and neonatal care; able to care for the most complex neonatal conditions; neonatologist on staff; pediatric surgeon on staff; geneticist, radiologist, anesthesiologists, and epidemiologist on staff Examples: Maine Medical Center, Portland, Maine Eastern Maine Medical Center, Bangor, Maine Level IV NICU: - Similar to level III but can provide on-site surgical repair for serious birth defects; also provide training to lower level NICUs Examples: Mass General Hospital, Boston, MAGestational age: - Gestational age: the total number of weeks the infant spent in utero before birth Chronological age: - Chronological age: the number of weeks / months / years since infant's birth Corrected Age: - Corrected age: the age the infant would be had she been born at term Example: 27 weeks GA; 40 - 27 = 13 weeks premature; this number is subtracted from the chronological age to get the corrected age. An infant turning 12 months old would have the corrected age of 9 months (12 months - 13 weeks)