Equipment in NICU
Bilirubin lights (bili lights, photo therapy) - Bili lights are a phototherapy tool used to treat jaundice. They are very bright blue lights that convert bilirubin so that the body is able to excrete it through urine and faeces. Soft 'sunglasses' or eye shields are placed over baby's eyes to prevent any damage to the eyes from the lights.
Cannula - A tube inserted into the body to facilitate the delivery or removal of fluid.
Cardio respiratory monitor - three small sticky dots are placed on baby's chest with leads connecting them to a large monitor. The monitor provides data readouts of baby's pulse and respiratory rate.
Chest Tube - A flexible plastic tube which is inserted into the chest cavity to remove air or drain fluid.
CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) - CPAP uses air pressure to keep the airway open. The air delivered to baby can have additional oxygen added and the pressure can be increased or decreased as required. Babies on CPAP are initiating all breathing for themselves.
ET Tube (Endotracheal Tube) - A tube inserted into the mouth or nose down the trachea to establish and maintain baby's airway to ensure adequate exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Babies who are intubated (have an ET tube in place) are connected to a ventilator.
HFOV (High Frequency Oscillatory Ventilator) - A mechanical ventilator often used for babies who are not responding to conventional ventilation. Many little breaths are delivered at a very high frequency.
Incubator/Humidicrib/Isolette - A large plastic box with portholes for your hands which provides stable temperature, humidity and oxygen levels for baby.
Intravenous Fluid - The infusion of liquids directly into the blood stream.
Hi-Flow oxygen - A step down from CPAP hi-flow oxygen is humidified oxygen enriched air delivered at a continuous gentle pressure through nasal cannula. The air is humidified to reduce inflammation of the airways which can be caused by prolonged oxygen therapy.
Long Line - A long line is similar to a PICC line. A fine plastic tube is inserted into baby's veins and continues up the arm or leg until it reaches a much larger vein generally just outside the heart. TPN is often given through a long line when babies are slow to start milk feeds or are unable to receive their full nutritional requirement through milk feeds alone.
Medication Pump - Pumps are commonly used to administer medications at a slow gentle rate through cannulas placed in the arms or legs of baby.
Nasal Cannula - Thin plastic tubing used to deliver a gentle supply of supplemental oxygen via the nose.
NGT (Nasogastric Tube) - A thin flexible tube inserted through the nose to the stomach to facilitate tube feeding and administration of medication.
OGT (Orogastric Tube) - A thin flexible tube inserted through the mouth to the stomach to facilitate tube feeding and administration of medication. The tube is often placed in the mouth when baby is very small or receiving breathing assistance from a ventilator, CPAP or hi-flow oxygen.
Open Cot - Once baby can stabilise their own body temperature they are moved from their isolette to a large white cot when they are still requiring breathing support or a small wire cot when they are breathing for themselves.
Pulse Oximeter - A small probe wrapped around babies hand, foot or wrist as a non invasive method of measuring babies oxygen saturation.
Probe - Generally a small piece of soft flexible rubber that contains a light source and a light detector. The light is transmitted through the body part where the probe is located to measure oxygen saturation levels in the blood.
Umbilical Catheter, Arterial or Venous (UAC, UVC) - A thin tube that is placed into the artery or vein at the site of the umbilical cord. These lines are usually placed within the first few hours after babies birth and can stay in place for up to one week after birth. The lines allow the administration of fluids and medications.
Ventilator - A machine that can support babies breathing or can take over breathing for baby when they are unable to breath for themselves. Baby is connected to the ventilator via an ET Tube.