Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) (Exam 1) Questions and Answers Already Passed

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) (Exam 1) Questions and Answers Already Passed 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, MA Gestational 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)