Your Role During NIICU Bedside Rounds
Every day, the medical team visits each baby’s bedside to review any changes and plan their care. These visits are called “rounds.” The purposes of rounds include:
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Sharing information about your baby among the medical team.
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Discussing options and making a plan of care for your baby.
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Teaching staff-in-training, such as doctors, nurses, social workers, and respiratory therapists.
The team members present during rounds can change daily. They might include doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, respiratory therapists, dietitians, pharmacists, and specialists (like lung, heart, and surgical doctors). Sometimes, observers from other hospitals may also be there.
You are welcome to attend your baby’s rounds in the NICU. Your input is important since you are a key part of your baby’s healthcare team. Share any concerns about changes in your baby with the team. This information helps us take better care of your baby. We value your presence during rounds. If you hear details about other babies, please keep this information private and do not discuss it with anyone.
Rounds usually start at 8:30 or 9:00 AM but may be interrupted if an emergency occurs. We may not see patients in the same order every day. The review of information during rounds is done in a certain order and covers your baby’s major organ systems. The typical order of information is:
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Events and changes in the past 24 hours
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Weight, fluid status, and nutrition through IV lines
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Lungs and breathing
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Heart
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Digestion and nutrition from feedings
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Pain management and neurological issues
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Infections (if any)
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Lab tests
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Other tests or studies (like CT scans, ultrasounds, MRIs)
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Medications
After this review, your baby’s team will discuss the plans to help your baby recover. Your baby’s team may discuss many options before deciding on a plan. Plans made during rounds may later change. This is how the best possible plans for your baby are made.
If you don’t understand something during rounds, feel free to ask questions. Some questions might need more time than rounds allow, and your team may come back afterward to answer them.
You are an important part of your baby’s team and your presence at rounds is welcomed!
Reviewed July 2024 by Diane Versaw-Barnes PT PCS