ABSTRACT
Method .....................................................................................................................99 Research Sample .................................................................................................99 Mapping the Unit .............................................................................................. 100 Interviews .......................................................................................................... 100 Observations ...................................................................................................... 100 Questionnaires ................................................................................................... 100
Findings and Discussion ........................................................................................ 101 Workload ........................................................................................................... 101 Number of Operations per Unit Time ............................................................... 101 Cognitive Load .................................................................................................. 102 Environmental Conditions ................................................................................. 102 Common Load Characteristics .......................................................................... 103
Number of Operations per Unit Time .......................................................... 103 Cognitive Load ............................................................................................. 105 Environmental Conditions ............................................................................ 106
Unique Load Characteristics for Each of the Three Units ................................ 107 Number of Operations per Unit Time-Large Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) ...................................................................................................... 107 The Additional Cognitive Load of Drug Preparation-Midsize NICU ............ 108 The Inuence of Environmental Conditions-Small NICU ............................. 109 Summary ........................................................................................................... 110
What was the fate of infants born prematurely with low birth weight in previous generations, before the development of the incubator? There is no complete answer to this question, in the absence of precise records, and the majority of births took place at home. But, as infant mortality in general was high, including those born with normal weight, there is reason to assume that prematurely born infants died within a short time of their birth. Already, by the second half of the 18th century, it was recognized that proper heating arrangements increased the premature newborn chances of survival. In and around 1880, the French government decided to stimulate the population to increase the birthrate, fearing a shortage of “cannon fodder.” Thus, the French began to treat both premature and newborn infants, whose chances, up to that time to survive, were almost zero. In 1880, the pediatrician Stephane Tarnier published the amazing results of treatment of prematurely born infants whose body weight was less than 2000 g: mortality decreased by 40%, thanks to the use of an appliance that the mother could take home and once there, properly supervise the newborn infant’s welfare.
