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Pros And Cons Of Neonatal Intensive Care Units

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Scholarly Paper Neonatal intensive care units (NICU) are often entirely composed of open ward care taking environments; however, some hospitals are using a hybrid of both private rooms and open wards. Many hospitals have converted part of their open ward environment into private care taking rooms where the family is welcomed to stay all hours of the day in comfort and privacy. Private rooms allow for the parents to bond with their child more intimately than if they visit their baby in an open ward setting. There are a limited number of private rooms available in many hospitals, and research shows that infants in the NICU have better outcomes and lower comorbidities when they are cared for in a private room environment where the lighting, …show more content…

A meta-analysis of seven different studies, an experimental study, a quasi-experimental study, and two non-experimental studies were used in this research process. The meta-analysis provided level one strength evidence and was of good quality for scientific evidence. The experimental study presented level one strength evidence and was also of good quality for scientific evidence. The quasi-experimental study had level two strength evidence and provided high-quality scientific evidence. Both of the non-experimental studies provided level three strength evidence and high-quality scientific evidence.
Non-Experimental Study of the NICU Design The first source is a non-experimental design that took place in both an open ward and SFR NICU at Cabell Huntington Hospital. Two hundred and forty infants were monitored in this study. One hundred and thirty-three infants were observed in an open ward, and one hundred and seven were kept in single family rooms (SFRs). This study quantitatively measured the noise level, illumination, air quality, temperature, growth and development of the infant, the amount of respiratory support needed, and the baby’s nutritional progress in each environment. The findings of this study show that humidity particulates, noise, and exposure to bright light were decreased in the SFRs. In the SFRs there are also reduced ventilator needs, a reduction in days that infants were on total parenteral nutrition

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