In line with Caritas Baby Hospital’s commitment to developing its intensive care services, the first open-closed incubator has been acquired in early 2020 to be utilized in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
With premature births being among the most common diagnoses in CBH, this technology plays a decisive role in the recovery process of preterm babies and neonates. The recently installed state-of-the-art incubator provides ideal thermoregulation for patients in open and closed care as well as transition. With the combination of three heat sources, this device works to protect little patients, thereby stimulating their growth into healthy infants.
Traditionally, CBH utilized separate incubators for open and closed care. This new technology enables both to be performed in the same incubator, which in turn “improves the workflow of both medical and nursing teams with quick and comfortable access to the baby”, as stated by the ICU pediatrician in charge, Dr. George Juha. This also reduces the amount of space required in the ICU to provide the same treatment; resulting in a higher capacity for ICU beds.
Furthermore, the Quality and Patient Safety Director, Ms. Regine Handal, asserted that “the introduction of this incubator conforms with our devotion to creating a safe environment for our patients and to our compliance with the infection prevention and control practices promoted in CBH”. The device’s creative design, which includes smooth surfaces and limited number of parts for disassembly, makes disinfection quick and easy. A completely closed humidification system also eliminates the risk of germs entering the system.
In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the open-closed incubator would contribute to sustaining the ICU services at Caritas Baby Hospital to meet the local need for neonatal critical care.
Author: Shaden Shaer
