In the last two decades, advancement in neonatal surgery, anesthesia, and intensive care have improved the outcome not only for neonates with complex surgical conditions but also for those preterm infants with combined medical and surgical issues. Infants with surgical problems may remain in the neonatal care setting for weeks or months, and providing ongoing nursing care can be challenging but rewarding. In this article, the authors outline the immediate preoperative management, stabilization, and subsequent postoperative nursing care of the surgical neonate.
The Dan Young Surgical Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow, Scotland
Address reprint requests and correspondence: Andrena Kelly, RN, RSCN, BSc (Hons), The Dan Young Surgical Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow G3 8SJ, Scotland
ABSTRACT