ABSTRACT
We conducted a survey and audit of thermal equipment use in very low-birth-weight
infants in five Ohio neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) to document regional practice.
The survey indicated a variety of thermal care styles. Two NICUs preferred to admit
infants to incubators, the other three favoring radiant warmers. These three NICUs
moved infants from radiant warmers into incubators at significantly different mean
ages. The audit demonstrated inconsistent use of plastic covers, warming mattresses,
and added humidity under radiant warmers, and discrepancies between survey responses
and actual use within NICUs. Inter-NICU variability of thermal equipment use may complicate
fluid management.
Keywords
Radiant warmers - incubators - audits - surveys
