Newborn Nursery

Learn the diagnosis and management of common newborn medical issues, as well as the routine care of healthy newborns.

You are primarily responsible for examining all house newborns. The exam and implications as well as management plans and disposition are discussed with an attending. Abnormal physical findings, complications, therapeutic implications are discussed in depth with the supervising attending.

Input is sought from the obstetrical staff and newborn nurses. Discussions with parents about normal newborn anticipatory guidance are provided. Initial evaluation of newborns with problems is undertaken whereby the baby is examined, appropriate initial workup initiated, and a determination to either observe or transfer to another level of care is determined.

You will also be responsible for handling social issues of patients and families including working with Child Protective Services.

Nursery Goals and Objectives

Learning is enhanced through use of case studies, so the attending is at liberty to rearrange the topic schedule if there are cases that involve other topics available that day.

The initial day, however, should be preserved, and you will be expected to obtain check off of the newborn nursery competency history and physical on the first day.

You are expected to read background materials, as well as appropriate text sections in preparation for a discussion each day on the topics.

Didactics/Rounds

Work Rounds

Occur daily (seven days) with the attending (general pediatrician) assigned to the NBN. Patients are presented and a determination of disposition is made. Direct attending evaluation of the newborn exam together with immediate feedback is provided at least once during the rotation.

Nursery Didactics

Topics relating directly to the normal newborn as well as potential problems or complications of newborns are discussed formally five times a week.

Conditions Seen

  • physiologic jaundice
  • Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
  • transient tachypnea of newborn
  • sacral dimples
  • congenital hip dysplasias 

Caseload

About 10 to 20 newborns per day.

Year Taken

PGY-1

Length of Rotation

4 weeks

Clinical Site

Patient Population

  • newborn babies delivered at Oishei Children’s Hospital  from the local counties of Western New York and northern Pennsylvania