An accomplished neonatologist and medical educator, Dr. Allen Cherer currently serves as an instructor with the Neonatal Resuscitation Program and a lead instructor with the S.T.A.B.L.E. neonatal education program. His work as a pediatric intern and resident earned him a Robert Spurling Memorial Award from the University of Louisville School of Medicine. Over the course of his career, Dr. Allen Cherer Focus has primarily concentrated on the development of management protocols for neonatal abstinence syndrome, neonatal hypoglycemia, and intraventricular hemorrhage in the premature infant.
As a practicing physician, Dr. Allen Cherer received a Patient Care Excellence Award, from Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina, and a Most
When we see patients, we must remember that we are not simply treating a disease. We are caring for people with lives, hobbies, jobs, families, and friends, who are likely in a very vulnerable position. We must ensure that we use the status of physicians to benefit patients first and foremost, and do what we promised to when we entered the profession: provide care and improve quality of life, and hopefully leave the world a little better than it was
The patient is a 45 year old male who was in a car accident that
The very low birth weight are newborns that weigh less than 3.3 pounds (1,500 grams). Unfortunately, newborns that are under 3.3 pounds (1,500 grams) do not often survive, and the ones that do have delayed motor skills and cognitive development. The numbers decrease further to extremely low birth weight of 2.2 pounds (1,000 grams), where chance of life is very small. Low birth weight babies 1,500 grams – 2,500 grams (3.3 -5.5 pounds) have a good chance they will survive with proper care. Newborns that are small-for-date are placed in incubators that are sealed beds where temperature and air quality is regulated. The beds isolate the infants from pathogens and the environment. The babies need sensory stimulation to grow, so a recorded tape is played of the mothers soothing voice. Visual stimulation from video, and tactile stimulation helps foster physical and cognitive development in the baby. At five months while the fetus is in the womb ithas sensory capabilities, and can hear the mother’s heart beating, food digestion, speaking, and others speaking to her! The incubator stimulates this environment. There is great success with proper attention and care to the low birth weight babies, and. Many of the low birth weight babies are effects of parents that live in poverty, unable to access adequate medical care, and they experience stress due to an unhealthy family life.
Inlander, Charles B. and Ed Weiner. Take This Book to the Hospital With You! Emmaus, Penn: Rodale Press, 1985. The New Medicine Show.
Mphahlele, R. R. (2007). Caring for premature babies - a clinical guide for nurses. Professional Nursing Today, 11(1), 40-46.
Neonatal nursing is a field of nursing designed especially for both newborns and infants up to 28 days old. The term neonatal comes from neo, "new", and natal, "pertaining to birth or origin”. Neonatal nurses are a vital part of the neonatal care team. These are trained professionals who concentrate on ensuring that the newborn infants under their care are able to survive whatever potential life threatening event they encounter. They treat infants that are born with a variety of life threatening issues that include instances of prematurity, congenital birth defects, surgery related problems, cardiac malformations, severe burns, or acute infection. Neonatal care in hospitals was always done by the nursing staff but it did not officially become a specialized medical field until well into 1960s. This was due to the numerous advancements in both medical care training and related technology that allowed for the improved treatment and survival rate of premature babies. According to the March of Dimes, one of every thirteen babies born in the United States annually suffers from low birth weight. This is a leading cause in 65% of infant deaths. Therefore, nurses play a very important role in providing round the clock care for these infants, those born with birth defects or other life threatening illness. In addition, these nurses also tend to healthy babies while their mothers recover from the birthing process. Prior to the advent of this specialized nursing field at risk newborn infants were mostly cared for by obstetricians and midwives who had limited resources to help them survive (Meeks 3).
Culver, APRN, who specializes in adult health and has been a practicing APRN for over 10 years at a busy private family practice in Louisville, KY. She described her role as working within a team of medical staff consisting of two other advanced practice nurses, two registered nurses, one licensed practical nurse, four support and office staff, and a working collaboration with two internal medicine physicians. Her scope of practice includes telephone triage and seeing, treating and discharging patients with minor illness who need a same-day appointment as well as patients with long-term health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. She serves a diverse (White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian) middle age to older adult population living in the community in the city of Louisville and surrounding areas. My basis for choosing J.M.C. for this interview is my professional goal of practicing in the primary care setting after I obtain my graduate degree and successfully pass the state licensure board and receive certification to practice as an advanced practice nurse in the state of Kentucky. I believe the opportunity to speak with her allowed me to gain insight into this area of practice as well as see how the core competencies are understood and applied in advanced practice
Many questions about the causes of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), also known as “crib death,” are still unresolved. The mysterious and elusive nature of SIDS creates problems, doubts, and more questions. This paper will present some of the most commonly asked questions as well as the answers that have been uncovered by scientists after years of research and study.
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta has a highly unique approach to patient care. The network of hospitals have a combined number of one hundred and fifty doctors, which is more than any other hospital in Georgia. The hospital has also been listed among the nation’s best by “Doctors in America”. In addition to
Clark, Terri A. M.D. (1993). More Than One. (1st Edition). Nashville TN: Oliver Nelson . Books.
According to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, “In the United States, nearly thirteen percent of babies are born preterm, and many of these babies also have a low birth weight.” The baby may be put into the NICU for varies reasons. However, the most common reason that a child is put into the NICU is because he or she is premature. Premature means the baby was born before the 36 weeks. It is never good for a baby to be born early, as this could mean that the baby is not fully developed. There are other factors as to why a child may need to be put into the NICU after birth. For instance, birth defects can be the cause of why a baby is put into the NICU. A baby may be born with an infection such as herpes or chlamydia which can damage the newborns immune system at such a young age. Low blood sugar or hypoglycemia can also cause an infant to be put into the NICU. Some maternal factors of why a baby may be put into the NICU is if the mother is “younger than 16 or older than 40.” If the parent may be an alcoholic or expose the baby to drugs, this can put the child into NICU care. If the parent has an STD or sexual transmitted disease, the baby is most likely going to have to be put into the intensive care unit. “Twins, triplets, and other multiples are often admitted into the NICU, as they tend to be born earlier and s...
Neonatal intensive care units are normally thought as a safe place for a neonatal to be, but there are instances where the neonatal develops an infection in their fragile bodies. This paper examines the ways that they could develop infections that harm them. The ANA states, “individuals who become nurses are expected to adhere to the ideals and morals norms of the profession and also to embrace them as a part of what it means to be a nurse.” (Code of Ethics, n.d.). German NICUs participated in a study of very low birth weight infants (VLBW) from 2006-2011 and found that an outbreak of severe neonatal infection occurred within a period of time in the same center in four different patients (Schwab, 2014).
Emily is a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurse of 11 years. Emily routinely provides care for babies as small as 800 grams (about 1 and ¾ pounds), babies born with drug addictions, and the routine twins and triplets born as a result of fertility medications and assisted reproductive technologies (ART). As a strong Christian woman, Emily wasn't sure she could fulfill the tasks required of her when she first came on. Nor did she think she could cope with the occasional “expiration” of a young life. However, after more than a decade, Emily continues to provide exemplary care to babies, and parents alike, in the first few weeks and months of life. Throughout her decade long career, Emily has seen much change and continues to see the landscape transform within her small part of the nursing community.
The next time I walked into a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit was as a fourth year medical student. This time not as a spectator, but as a medical professional expec...
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Chronic Conditions: Making the Case for Ongoing Care. Retrieved from http://www.rwjf.org/qualityequality/product.jsp?id=14685