Integrated Maternal and Newborn Care Basic Skills Course ...
Integrated Maternal and Newborn Care Basic Skills Course ...
Integrated Maternal and Newborn Care Basic Skills Course ...
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Reference Manual<br />
“shocks.” Where a heating rod is fixed, an additional lamp will be required to provide<br />
adequate lighting. Babies under the warmer should always be monitored to ensure that<br />
that they are maintaining their body temperature appropriately <strong>and</strong> are not too cold or<br />
hot. In general, water bottles are not recommended due to the risk of burns. If there is no<br />
alternative to a bottle, the water must be warm <strong>and</strong> the bag containing the bottle must be<br />
wrapped in a thick cloth or several layers of cloth. The baby must be frequently checked<br />
to ensure that the skin is not excessively hot or red.<br />
Figure 8.1. A warming table. (USAID/BASICS Senegal <strong>Newborn</strong> Health Program)<br />
• Three to five pieces of clean, preferably sterile, cloth to dry <strong>and</strong> wrap the baby, a cap<br />
where available, <strong>and</strong> a washable blanket or several layers of cloth where required.<br />
• A wall thermometer to monitor the room temperature.<br />
• A thermometer to measure the axillary temperature of the baby.<br />
Equipment for Aspiration of Secretions<br />
The following suction equipment is recommended:<br />
• De Lee mucous aspirator. This is perhaps the simplest item to use (see Figure 8.2). It<br />
consists of two tubes attached to a transparent trap. One tube end is introduced into the<br />
baby’s mouth <strong>and</strong> throat, <strong>and</strong> the health worker applies suction with his mouth at the tip<br />
of the other tube; the trap is to prevent aspirated material from entering the health<br />
worker’s mouth. The item comes in individual pre-sterilized packs. Since cleaning <strong>and</strong><br />
decontamination of the narrow tubes present challenges <strong>and</strong> due to the risk of infection,<br />
especially of HIV/AIDS, only a “single use” with careful application of suction is<br />
recommended to avoid any risk of the secretions entering the tube in the care provider’s<br />
mouth. In fact, for safety, it might be better to use a fresh aspirator. After use, the item<br />
should be discarded in a safe manner <strong>and</strong> not reused, even after cleaning <strong>and</strong><br />
disinfection. Some practitioners do not recommend the use of this aspirator because of<br />
the potential risk of secretions entering the care provider’s mouth, despite the presence<br />
of the trap.<br />
<strong>Integrated</strong> maternal <strong>and</strong> newborn care<br />
<strong>Basic</strong> skills course<br />
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