Neonatal Care Health Article

Health care team roles

At birth, the physician or nurse-midwife is in attendance, along with the labor and delivery nurse. If the fetus has been in distress, a neonatalogist may also be present. After birth the newborn is handed to the nurse who begins the drying off of the newborn, and addresses the other issues mentioned above. Nurses perform the neonatal care tasks discussed above in the nursery. Blood drawn drom the neonate's heel is usually done by the nursery nurse, and then sent to the laboratory for processing by the laboratory technicians. In some hospitals nurses may care for both the newborn and the mother as a unit. Nurses provide all the necessary teaching provided to the new mother.

Neonatal care continues through about the fourth week after birth. During this time the infant and mother may receive a home nursing visit to ensure that breastfeeding is well established, that no jaundice is present in the neonate, and that the mother is healing well from the delivery. At the follow-up office visit, the nurse or medical assistant will weigh and measure the length of the infant.

Patient education

Parent education, especially for the first-time parent is extremely important. Nurses or nurse-midwives will provide breastfeeding and postpartum teaching for the mother, as well as explaining the care needed for the newborn. This may include cord care, normal number of daily feedings and diapers, how to determine the presence of jaundice, how and when to bathe the infant, as well as answer any questions the new parents may have. A follow-up appointment is usually established before the infant leaves the hospital. The nurse will often be the one to ensure that a car seat is present and properly installed in the car before allowing the mother and baby to leave the hospital, as mandated by state law. Nurses also provide information when parents call with questions to the doctor's office.