Neonatal ICU...?

What are the ethical dilemmas this care presents to you and to the parents? What are the concerns the family has to face with severely premature infants and how you as a nurse can help the parents to make decisions about the care of the infant?

My question is related to an assignmetn, but I just want to know personal experiences if someone would like to share it.

This does sound like a homework type question... I have had 2 of my 3 kids be in the NICU. My Mom & Grandmother were both nurses (and both worked in the NICU on occasions.)
I would have to say, if you, as a nurse, had an ethical problem with working in a NICU, then you should be transferred out of the unit. Although I really can't see what problem you would face in a NICU that you wouldn't also face on a floor. (Except that it wouldn't always be with babies.)
There are LOTS of concerns parents with premie babies have to face. And they're all different, as each case is different. Whther the baby will live or not, have physical or mental (or both) difficulties as they grow. Breathing problems, blindness, feeding issues... the list goes on & on.

As a nurse, the role is normally to be supportive, to have facts available, offer suggestions, alternatives even.
However, while the nurse spends a LOT more time with the patients & families, it is normally the doctor who gives the assessments & tells you the odds, etc.

I hope this helps. If you're looking for something more specific, I'd suggest contacting your local hospital's NICU & asking to speak to the head nurse & see if they can help you.

Sounds like homework. Try looking up NICU on the internet or speaking to someone who has had premature infants. Here is a link that may help

http://www.americanpregnancy.org/labornb...

My twins were born premature and were in ICU for 3 weeks. I appretiated that the nurse cared for my girls but one of them was over pretected in a rude way, this one nurse was acting as if she was the mother and told me not to touch them or have anyone touch them, and I refused. The rest of the nurses encouranged touch. One of the other nurses noticed I was angry because of that and said not to worry she would keep an eye on them too. And got me wondering if that mean nurse would be uncarrying to my babies after I refused her order. After that I was there on all her shifts making sure she would not take it out on my girls. A nurse is suppose to be conforting, and help the sick and the family overcome the situation and help the family take control, not be bossy and rude...

As a nurse that had a baby in the NICU, what i found most upsetting was i felt he was neglected why i was there, alarms were not answered in a timely manner and other issues were not addressed by the nurse to the physician, instead I had to ask the physician and get orders written. Because I am a nurse? Well i am not a NICU nurse, well thank god I am a nurse or maybe these things would not have been addressed. Some were very comforting and reassuring. But when it came time to extubate my first born to let him die in peace in my arms they all pulled away. I felt as though I was not supported in my decision. As a nurse you should support the family with any decision they make whether you like it or not, and sometimes that is a very hard thing to do. FYI....there are a lot more things that put the newborns there than prematurity.