Run by School of Health Sciences

20 Credits or 10 ECTS Credits

Organiser: Dr Mary Longworth

A newborn baby is a person with individual needs namely, food, warmth, love and protection. Normally these are provided by his/her immediate family. However when a newborn baby is ill, premature or suffering from birth trauma he/she requires the specialised skills of the neonatal nurse to maximise the potential for life and these must be provided by specially educated and trained staff apart from his/her family. It is the intention of this Module to continue the education and training begun in Neonatal Nursing ¿ Module 1 by concentrating on the intensive care of the neonate and relevant interpersonal skills. The student will develop specialised clinical expertise in observation, monitoring, investigation and treatment of the neonate beyond that normally needed in a Special Care Baby Unit which is required to support life and manage serious illness, injury or malformation in babies. With the rapid progress in technology the frontiers in these areas are continually extending, bringing with them ethical problems which the student will be required to analyse. Furthermore the psychological and emotional stress caused to parents and colleagues by these ethical problems require the student to develop effective interpersonal and communication skills. The student, whilst developing these skills, will also need to be alert to future developments in the role of the professional carer to promote health and the necessity of working with other members of the health care team. The aim of this module is to address these issues and prepare the nurse to work within the neonatal intensive care environment.

threshold

40%

1. Demonstrate the clinical skills required by the neonatal nurse in the neonatal intensive care environment.
2. Discuss and demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the psychosocial needs of the parents, extended family and colleagues when a very sick baby is being nursed in the neonatal intensive care unit.
3. Critically appraise theories related to intensive neonatal care.
4. Discuss the safety precautions necessary in a neonatal intensive care unit specifically related to equipment, the dangers inherent in a high technology area and the necessary supervision needed with staff usage.

		Hours