Nursing care of newborn with respiratory distress syndrome with surfactant therapy : Two case comparative studies

Abstract

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) presents with severe dyspnea in extremely preterm because lack surfactants and dyspnea will decrease when the gestational age increases. Surfactants therapy made the alveoli to inflate and using the ventilator with positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) to allow gas exchange. The nurses present an important role in the doctor's order since first stage, continuous stage and before discharge stage. The nurses provide nursing care according to the nursing process to keep the newborns with RDS to secured, no disabilities and survival.

Objective: The purpose to study nursing care of newborns with respiratory distress syndrome with surfactants therapy by comparing two case studies.

Methods: The methods were selecting case studies of newborns with RDS with surfactant therapy who were admitted for treatment in Khon Kaen Hospital. The data were collected between June to October 2022. The data analysis used the concept of nursing process and holistic care.

Result: The first baby was 30 weeks of gestation age and had complications among treatment, namely: Hypothermia, PDA, Pneumonia, Sepsis and BPD. Nursing care were keeping warmth, provide indomethacin injection for PDA, budesonide Inhaler for BPD and Infatrini feeding to increase weight. The baby can suckle on their own when 60 days old and 64 days for length of stay. Second baby was 34 weeks of gestation age with congenital pneumonia. Nursing care was breast feeding. The baby can suckle on their own when 30 days old and 33 days for length of stay. The both babies were received surfactant therapy and oxygen with ventilator in first stage. The continuous stage prevents to re-infection and breast feeding to increase weight and stimulate development by parents’ participation before discharge stage.

Conclusion: The nurses working in the NICU provide the nursing care to the newborns with RDS who received surfactant therapy and oxygen with ventilator must provide the nursing care according to the doctor order with efficiently, can assess the critical condition early and can provide timely support to the baby, including providing holistic nursing care.