A survey of inotrope and vasopressor line change practices in Australian and New Zealand Neonatal intensive care units

Abstract

Introduction: Sick and or preterm neonates who are admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) frequently require inotropes and vasopressors which support the cardiovascular system to function adequately. There are many different clinical practices that nurses can adopt to perform inotrope and vasopressor infusion line and syringe changes, some of which have the theoretical potential to cause fluctuations in blood pressure. The purpose of this study was to identify current inotrope infusion line change practices in the neonatal intensive care population of Australia and New Zealand and examine what drives these current clinical practices. Methodology: An observational, exploratory qu..