In this paper a prospective study of the association between maternal smoking and neonatal morbidity variables is presented. Caucasian nulliparous women (n = 115)were studied throughout pregnancy, childbirth and puerperal period. Birthweight(-centiles), Apgar scores, mode of delivery, umbilical arterial and venous blood gas analyses, admission incidence to the neonatal ward and neurological examnination according to Prechtl were considered to be representatives for the starting condition of the newborns. The babies of smokers were statistically significantly at a disadvantage compared to babies of non-smokers for birthweight(-centiles), pH of the umbilical vein (medians): smokers 7.29, non-smokers 7.30) and the score of the neurological examnination (medians: smokers 57, non-smokers 58).
OBJECTIVES: Sucking problems in preterm infants can be specified by means of visual observation. The Neonatal Oral-Motor Assessment Scale (NOMAS) is the visual observation method most commonly used to assess the non-nutritive sucking (NNS) and nutritive sucking (NS) skills of infants up to approximately 8 weeks postterm. During the first 2 min of a regular feeding the infant's sucking skill is assessed, either immediately or on video. Although NOMAS has been used since 1993, little is known about the method's reliability. The aim of our study was to determine the test-retest and inter-rater reliability of NOMAS.METHODS: The 75 infants included in this study were born at 26-36 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA). Four observers participated in the study. They were trained and certified to administer NOMAS in the Netherlands by M.M. Palmer between 2000 and 2002.RESULTS: We found the test-retest agreement of NOMAS to be 'fair' to 'almost perfect' (Cohen's kappa [kappa] between 0.33 and 0.94), whereas the inter-rater agreement with respect to the diagnosis was 'moderate' to 'substantial' (Cohen's kappa, between 0.40 and 0.65). As a diagnostic tool, however, the current version of NOMAS cannot be used for both full-term and preterm infants. For a measuring instrument such as NOMAS, one should aim at reliability coefficients for inter-rater and test-retest agreement of at least 0.8. A Cohen's kappa of 0.6 or less we find unacceptable. Nonetheless, by observing sucking and swallowing according to a protocol much useful information can be gathered about the development of an infant's sucking skills. For instance, whether the infant is able to co-ordinate sucking and swallowing, whether the infant can maintain sucking, swallowing and breathing during the continuous phase and whether the infant is able to suck rhythmically with equally long bursts. In addition, NOMAS offers useful aids for intervention.CONCLUSIONS: NOMAS should be re-adjusted in order to improve inter-rater agreement, and at the same time current insights into the development of sucking and swallowing should be incorporated in the method.
Intravenous vascular access (VA) is essential in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Short peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVCs) are the most frequently used short-term device.1 Many unmodifiable and potentially modifiable factors affect the incidence of complications, contributing to the success or failure of therapy.2 Numerous interventions such as evidence-based care bundles, innovations in device design and manufacturer are targeted at reducing the incidence and severity of complications.3 Internationally, specialist multiprofessional teams for central venous access are widely established4 but evidence about the impacts of teams for managing peripheral intravenous access is less evident.
LINK
Het aantal alarmen dat afgaat op een Neonatale Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is hoog omdat de vitale fysiologische parameters van de neonaten als vanzelfsprekend continu gemonitord worden door medische apparatuur. Dit leidt tot een enorme alarmdruk bij NICU-verpleegkundigen, want elk alarm moet beoordeeld worden. Echter, slechts 20% van de klinische alarmen is relevant, wat niet alleen leidt tot inefficiënte werkprocessen, maar ook tot alarmmoeheid en daarmee bedreiging van patiëntveiligheid. Literatuur- en praktijkonderzoek door studenten HBO-ICT en onderzoekers van het lectoraat ICT-innovaties in de Zorg (Hogeschool Windesheim) op de NICU van Isala ziekenhuis in Zwolle laat zien dat er winst lijkt te behalen in het slim combineren van alarmen en het aanpassen van grenswaarden. Hier kan uiteraard niet zomaar mee geëxperimenteerd worden in de werkelijke klinische setting. Isala heeft daarom behoefte aan een testomgeving waarin de impact van alarmaanpassingen op alarmreductie gemeten kan worden zonder dat patiëntveiligheid daarmee in gevaar komt. Een digital twin kan hier een oplossing bieden. Dit is een replica van de fysieke, dynamische NICU-setting waarin data van patiënten, apparaten en hun onderlinge interacties gesimuleerd kunnen worden en artificial intelligence voorspellingen kan doen over de impact van veranderingen. In de gezondheidszorg wordt de potentie van digital twins de laatste twee jaar gezien en het aantal publicaties en best practices neemt toe, maar toepassingen op de intensive care-setting zijn nog dun gezaaid. Dit project, waarvoor Windesheim, Isala en data science agency Little Rocket de krachten bundelen, levert hier een bijdrage aan
