Guide to NICU Language

I don't know about you, but my life seems to be fueled by acronyms. From teaching to the military I struggle to keep them all straight. Then my daughter ended up in the NICU and it was trial by fire to learn all the new vocabulary that came with it.

Here is a list of the most common NICU vocabulary and acronyms you are likely to hear and their easy-to-understand meanings!

General Terms to Know

NICU- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit- This is the unit your baby is in, it is specifically for significant medical needs preemies and newborn babies.

Gestational Age- GA- the age of gestation your baby was born ie. 24 weeks or 28 weeks and 3 days

Adjusted Age/Corrected Age- baby's actual age minus the number of weeks/months they were born early-  When babies are born early we count their age as their actual age, minus how many weeks early they were born. This is done to help determine expected developmental progress. This is used in the medical field until the child is 2 years old.

DOB- Date of Birth 

Terminology refers to medicine

PRN- pro re nata - Latin for as needed/as required

BID- bis in die- Latin for Twice a day

TID- ter in die- Latin for Three times a day

KVO- Keep vein open- they do this by running clears through the IV to keep it functioning so they don't have to stick the baby again.

People in the NICU:

Primary Nurse- this is the nurse that is officially assigned to your baby. When they are on duty they will have your baby. They will be the expert nurse on your baby's care team.

Suck-Swallow-Breathe is the term used to describe the three actions your baby has to coordinate to drink out of a bottle successfully.

PT- Physical Therapy/Therapist-  The persons and practice that works on helping your baby strengthen and improve the movement of their body

OT- Occupational Therapy/Therapist- The persons and practice that works on helping your baby acclimate to life outside of the womb as well as use the movement they learn in PT in everyday life.

RT- Respiratory Therapy/Therapist- The persons and practice of managing oxygen, ventilators, and other needs related to breathing.

SPLP-Speech/Language Pathologist/Pathology- The persons and practice that works to help your baby eat, speak, and communicate.

Attending- A fully trained doctor who is an expert in their field of medicine

Fellow- A fully trained doctor who is in the process of specializing in their field of medicine

Resident- A fully trained doctor who is in the process of completing graduate-level courses to determine the field of medicine they will choose

Medical Student- a student who is currently in medical school

Nurse Practitioner- NP- a graduate-level nurse who is an expert in their field, and carries the same medical ability as an Attending, but may have an attending who oversees them.

Social Worker- The person(s) who are there to assist in navigating the new world of the NICU

Care Coordinator- The person(s) who assist with any issues of care during the NICU stay, as well as help coordinate any medical needed for discharge.

Words for Monitoring & Caring for Baby:

Apnea A's- a pause in a baby's breathing

Brady-B's- a sudden drop in heart rate

Desat- D's- Desaturation- a drop in oxygen saturation (spO2)

SpO2- Oxygen saturation- the amount of oxygen in a baby's bloodstream

Respiratory Rate- this is the number of times a baby breathes in a minute

Heart Rate- this is the number of times a baby's heart beats in a minute

Tachypnea- Fast rate of breathing

Tachycardia- Fast heart rate

 'i's & 'o's- Ins and Outs- the measurement and number of fluid being pumped into the body, and the measurement and number of voids and fluid being removed from the body (urine, fecal matter, ng output).

Cares- time of day when the nurses collect labs, change diapers, take measurements, bathe, and change out linens. Typically occurs every 3-4 hours depending on the baby and hospital policy.

Skin-to-Skin/Kangaroo Care- when a parent holds their naked baby, against their bare chest. Research shows great benefits of this practice.

Medical Equipment:

PICC Line-peripherally inserted central catheter - this is a special IV that goes all the way to an arterial vein and is used long-term for medications and nutrition.

Peripheral IV- direct access to the bloodstream. can be used for blood transfusions, and medications. They usually are only used for a short time

IV Pump- the device that mechanically administers fluids into your baby's body through the IV.

Isolette- the special hard-framed, clear-walled enclosed crib that a preemie must be kept in to help them regulate their body temperature. Looks like a fish tank uncovered, and a coffin when it is covered by a blanket

Terminology Related to Eating & Nutrition

NPO- nothing by mouth- a restriction placed on a baby if there is worry of an infection or negative reaction to something

PO- by mouth- means the baby can receive nutrition via their mouth

EBM- Expressed Breast Milk

MOM- Mom's Own Milk

Lipids- Liquid fats given to babies as a part of their nutrition

TPN- Total parenteral Nutrition- IV nutrition given to babies who can't receive nutrition via mouth

g-tube- gastronomy tube- surgically placed tube directly into the stomach through the abdominal wall. Used for feedings and medications

ng tube- nasal gastric tube- a thin, flexible tube that is threaded up the nose and down into the stomach, and is used to feed and administer medications

og tube- oral gastric tube- a thin, flexible tube that is threaded through the mouth and down into the stomach, and is used to feed and administer medications

Common Imaging Techniques

X-Ray- an image of a body part such as bones, lungs, and intestines. Used to help with diagnosis

MRI- Magnetic Resonance Imaging- detailed images of body parts such as the brain, organs, and skeletal structure, used to help with diagnosis

ECHO- echocardiogram- Noninvasive ultrasound image of the heart

EKG/ECG- Electrocardiogram- a noninvasive recording of the heart's electrical activity (heartbeat)

Ultrasound- noninvasive way to capture images of organs in the body using ultrasound waves (often the brain, heart, and kidneys)

Terminology Specific to Breathing

Intubated- this is when a baby is unable to breathe on their own, so they have an intubation tube placed down their esophagus, past the vocal cords, and into the lungs directly, allowing for direct flow of oxygen to the lung.

Trach- Tracheostomy- Breathing tube that is surgically placed in the neck

Ventilator- the general name for a machine that helps provide oxygen to the body when a baby is not strong enough to do so. There are many different types of ventilators your baby could be put on. (Oscillator, JETT, NAVA, INAVA, NINAVA, CPAP)

Common NICU Diseases

NEC- Necrotizing Enterocolitis- is an infection of the intestines that may require surgery to repair if it gets bad enough

ROP- Retinopathy of Prematurity- a common eye disease caused by the incorrect growth of veins in the eyes. Can cause blindness if not caught and treated. High oxygen requirements are thought to make this disease worse.

Anemia: a blood disorder, often caused by low iron in neonates

CLD/BPD- Chronic Lung Disease/Bronchopulmonary dysplasia-The delayed or poor development of a preemies lungs. Is what requires preemies to need supplementary oxygen support in some form (Ventilator, CPAP, Supplemental Oxygen)

Sepsis- The body's extreme response to an infection

Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn- PPHN- is a serious condition that affects the heart due to the stress of struggling to breathe outside of the womb.

Intracranial Hemorrhage- brain bleed- broken blood vessels in the baby's brain. They are categorized into 4 levels, level 4 being the worst.

Jaundice/hyperbilirubinemia- a build-up of bilirubin in the blood, due to not being removed from the body via the liver. This causes the baby's skin, the whites of the eyes, and sometimes the gums to be yellow. It is treated with a bilirubin light and often goes away within a few days to weeks.

Common Blood Tests, Labs & Related Terminology

CBC- complete blood count- A blood test that is used to analyze various properties of the blood itself (white & red blood cell counts, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelet levels) to determine things like anemia

BMP- Basic Metabolic Panel- A blood test used to analyze various metabolic levels of sodium, calcium, sugar, blood urea Nitrogen (BUN), and creatine.

Blood Gas- A blood test that looks at the oxygen, and carbon dioxide levels as well as the blood pH. These can be taken as a CAP Gas or an ART Gas.

Hepatic Function Panel: A blood test used to determine the function of the liver

Septic Panel: This is a collection of tests and broad-spectrum antibiotics given when there is concern about an infection in your baby's body. It includes all of the above tests, as well as a urine test, a respiratory panel, BAL (test for bacterial infection of the lungs), and sometimes a lumbar puncture.

ART- Arterial- this could be an arterial pressure or an arterial vein

ART Stick- Arterial stick- a blood draw from an arterial vein (the most accurate stick)

ART Gas- Arterial Gas- is a blood test using a sample from an Arterial vein stick that looks at the oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other gases found naturally in the body to determine what respiratory or medicinal change may need to happen

CAP- Capillary- a vein found in the hand, arm, leg, or foot

CAP Stick- Capillary Stick- blood draw from a heel prick (not as accurate as an ART stick) 

CAP Gas- Capillary Gas- is a blood test using a sample from a capillary heel stick that looks at the oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other gases found naturally in the body to determine what respiratory or medicinal change may need to happen

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