While the “neonatal gang” operation shook the whole of Turkey, Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Training and Research Hospital Neonatologist Dr. Gülşen Acar, who gave information about intensive care processes in newborns, said: “The physical infrastructure and technological equipment of the hospital should be sufficient. The treatment plan varies according to the week, clinical diagnosis and condition of each baby, as well as the temperature and humidity of the incubator. We try to be at least as meticulous as their families both for our conscientious responsibility and professional responsibility because babies are entrusted to us.”
While the newborn gang operation shook the whole of Turkey, the intensive care process for newborns came to the agenda after the incident. While some of the babies who opened their eyes to the world were born prematurely and some were taken to intensive care and treated due to risky pregnancies or problems that developed during birth, experts gave information about this process. Specialist from the Department of Neonatology at the University of Health Sciences Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Training and Research Hospital. Dr. Gülşen Acar also spoke about the functioning of intensive care in the newborn. Uzm. Prof. Dr. Acar stated that the teams carry out 24/7 uninterrupted follow-up to keep the little ones alive, carry out various treatments for high-risk babies, and that some babies are monitored at points called “isolation areas”. Pediatric Infectious Diseases Specialist. Dr. Burcu Bursal gave information about infection processes and listed the things to be considered.
“We follow babies with the cooperation of many branches and technological equipment”
Speaking about the processes in newborn babies, Specialist. Dr. Gülşen Acar said, “Neonatal intensive care units are one of the most critical units of hospitals where sick babies are treated in the first 28 days after birth. We treat newborn babies, especially early respiratory problems, infections, very small babies, premature babies with special devices, special treatment methods and a special team. We have a neonatal intensive care unit with a total capacity of 42 beds, including 30 incubators and a 12-bed neonatal service. Especially in the 3rd and 4th level neonatal intensive care unit, we follow up very risky babies. Of course, the physical infrastructure and technological equipment of the hospital must be sufficient for the follow-up of these risky babies, this is a necessity. We are able to apply advanced neonatal treatment steps, we do it as a team work. We aim to benefit many babies with the cooperation of our pediatric surgery, cardiology, neurosurgery, ophthalmology, pediatric radiology specialists and many other related sub-branches in our hospital and of course with the advantage of technological equipment. When we achieve this, it gives us extra happiness and pride. Even during the transportation of the baby from the delivery room, the appropriate temperature and humidity balance is tried to be provided from that moment on.”
“Treatment varies according to the baby's week and clinical diagnosis”
“Our fellow nurses also undergo very serious training before working in the neonatal intensive care unit,” said Specialist Dr. Acar. Dr. Acar said, “Therefore, care is always provided in a balanced manner according to the week and the clinical condition of the baby. We give all treatments on a baby-specific basis. We take care to give as much as needed and required. Uninterrupted, regular and very uniform support can be provided. The approach to a severely premature, very low birth weight baby is very different from the approach to a more stable baby with neonatal jaundice that we have admitted at level 1. From the moment of admission, we provide very detailed information to the families according to the clinical condition of the baby. The treatment plan varies according to each baby's week, clinical diagnosis and condition, including the temperature and humidity of the incubator. We try to be as meticulous as their families both for our conscientious responsibility and professional responsibility because babies are entrusted to us. We sometimes impose some restrictions against the risk of infection, we limit the visiting hours more, especially for babies hospitalized at level 3,4, we explain to the families in detail that this is for the benefit of the baby, and the families are informed regularly every day. The work already starts during pregnancy, it starts with the regular follow-up of obstetrics and gynecology, it is very important that families are aware.”
“Newborns are a very sensitive population”
Speaking about conditions such as fever and sucking disorder in infants, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Specialist. Dr. Burcu Bursal stated that the use of antibiotics has very important functions in timely and appropriate diagnosis. Stating that antibiotics should not be used unnecessarily, Uzm. Dr. Bursal continued her words as follows: “It is very important to use antibiotics at the time we need to use them, in appropriate diagnoses, at the appropriate dose and duration. Our Ministry of Health is also working on this issue. In our hospital, we are in a very good cooperation with neonatal and pediatric intensive care units. Newborns are a very sensitive population, if we do not treat a newborn with a proper antibiotic, it can lead to serious consequences. We have all kinds of technological tools, facilities and culture laboratories. We need to be very careful if the newborn is not sucking, the sucking reflex is very important. It is very important for the mother to say that the baby is restless, to have a fever, and the physical examination findings when admitted to the hospital. If a newborn has a fever accompanied by a sucking disorder, a physician should be consulted. They should definitely bring the babies they think are sick to the hospital. We take tests we call culture to determine the causative agent before starting antibiotics, it is very guiding for us.”
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