Weight on Admission to NICU

All babies are to have a weight on admission to NICU.

• Infants who have been weighed in NWH theatre or delivery unit do not need to be reweighed on admission to NICU within the first 24 hours
• All infants who are more than 24 hours old must have a new weight taken on admission to NICU
• Involve parents in weighing their infant, the weight can be performed when they are providing the cares
• Ensure that the infant is well contained during the weighing process to avoid them becoming disorganised and limit heat loss

Level 3 Infants

• Level 3 infants are to be weighed on alternate days unless a specific order for daily weighs is initiated after discussion on ward round.
• Infants are weighed from day 5 unless requested earlier by medical staff.
• Infants are not weighed routinely if they have:
  • chest drains in situ
  • are being ventilated on High Frequency Oscillatory Ventilation
• The nursing weight chart is not required unless a specific medical request to document each weight.

Level 2 Infants

• To be weighed twice weekly on Sundays and Wednesdays unless a specific order for alternate day or daily weighs is initiated after discussion on ward round
• Infants are weighed from day 5 unless requested earlier by medical staff.
• if an infant is >36weeks gestation consider weighing on day 3 (discuss with medical team and lactation consultant

Discharge Weight

• All infants discharged after 24hrs in the NICU (including those discharges to the postnatal ward) need to have a discharge weight taken and recorded in the discharge letter by the registrar/NS-ANP

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