Common Equipment Used in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU)

Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) are places where newborns are treated when they require intensive medical care. They are some of the most advanced medical facilities in the world. The equipment used in these units is designed to provide comfort and safety for babies born prematurely or with health problems.

The NICU is staffed by a multidisciplinary team of specialist doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, and healthcare professionals who provide continuous monitoring, diagnostic testing, and treatment to the most vulnerable infants.

The equipment used in a NICU is designed to meet the unique needs of these patients, who require close monitoring and specialised treatment to ensure survival. As such, NICUs use various medical devices and equipment to help keep babies safe and healthy.

This article describes some of the common equipment used in NICUs worldwide.

Common Equipment in the NICU

Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) are the most critical areas of a hospital and are used to treat premature and very ill new borns. They use a wide range of equipment to monitor and care for these babies, including:

Incubators

Incubators temporarily house premature babies until they're strong enough for more advanced care or can go home. Incubators use heat transfer to warm up the baby's environment so they can grow properly without being exposed to viruses or bacteria from their surroundings.

A baby's incubator is a small, enclosed box. A heating system is located underneath the infant tray and warms the air mixture that is then circulated in the baby's enclosed surroundings. Indicators on the panels show both the air and the baby's temperature. Depending on the incubators, temperature regulation can be either automatic or manual. Alarms are installed in incubators to alert the user to any significant changes in the internal temperature.

Ventilators

Ventilators are medical devices that help patients breathe when they can't do it on their own. They're used in many different situations, from recovering from surgery to people who have stopped breathing because of an injury or accident. Neonatal ventilators are designed specifically for babies who have breathing problems related to premature birth or other conditions affecting the lungs or heart.

A plastic tubing connects the ventilator to the patient (endotracheal or ET tube). Babies often have the ET tube inserted into their nose or mouth. The tube enters the infant's windpipe via the baby's voice box. The baby's trachea is the entry point for the air from the ventilator; from there, it goes to the lungs. Each infant's oxygen, air pressure, and respiratory rate demands may be individually accommodated.

Radiant Warmer

Radiant warmers help keep newborns at a constant temperature, as they require a warm environment in the first few hours of life. A radiant warmer is the most fundamental piece of equipment in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). It is used to keep a newborn's internal body temperature stable and slow down their metabolic rate. Warmers are used as an artificial support mechanism to help keep the body temperature of some newborns from dropping too quickly.

An open tray in the centre of a radiant warmer is heated by a system positioned above. Babies are monitored by the use of a temperature knob that is connected to their clothing, with the results shown on a tiny LCD panel.

Cardiorespiratory Monitor

Attached to the baby's skin with sensors, a physiologic monitor (also known as a cardiorespiratory monitor) offers a continuous readout of the baby's vital signs, including heart rate and rhythm, breathing rate, arterial or central venous pressure, and other relevant information. An alarm will sound when a monitored vital sign exceeds or falls below a user-defined threshold. A wide range of sizes and styles of monitoring devices are available, with the newest ones often including embedded computer systems that may perform activities such as trend analysis, long-term data storage, and false-alarm suppression.

Apnea Monitors

Apnea monitors are used to monitor for apnea or cessation of breathing. They use a sensor attached to the baby’s chest and alert the nurse when there is a change in heart rate or breathing pattern.

Heart Rate Monitor

The heart rate monitor, also called an electrocardiogram (ECG) machine, records a baby's heart rhythm.

Oxygen Saturation Monitor

This monitor measures the amount of oxygen in your baby's blood, which helps determine if he or she needs supplemental oxygen.

Temperature Monitoring Systems

Temperature monitoring systems record your baby's temperature at all times to ensure it stays within normal limits.

Pulse Oximeters

A pulse oximeter is a small device attached to your baby's foot or hand. It measures how much oxygen your baby's blood carries to estimate how well your baby's lungs work.

IV pumps and Infusion Pumps

These devices deliver medications to patients through intravenous lines.

They are often used to administer antibiotics, diuretics, and other medications. Infusion pumps allow the administration of drugs at specific intervals, which is important for preventing drug overdoses.

Endotracheal (ET) And Tracheostomy Tubes

These tubes are inserted into the trachea and secured with adhesive or surgical tape. These devices provide a conduit for mechanical ventilation and protect the airway from aspiration of stomach contents. Depending on the patient's condition, ET tubes may be inserted through the nose or mouth.

Tracheostomy tubes are placed surgically through an incision in the front of the neck and secured with sutures or staples.

Suction Machines

Suction machines clear the baby's airway by removing excess mucus, blood, and other fluids from the baby's mouth and nose.

Takeaway

Medical device companies are one of the most important parts of the healthcare industry as they provide crucial medical equipment in the NICU.

Paragon Care can provide medical equipment in Australia for all your NICU needs.

We are committed to ensuring that you have the best possible equipment for your neonatal intensive care unit so that you can provide excellent care to your small angels.