Resident Education in the Division of Neonatal/Perinatal Medicine
1st Year Resident (PL-1) Activities:
The first year Pediatric Resident will typically spend one month in the Newborn Nursery (NBN) and 1-2 months in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Parkland Memorial Hospital (PMH). PMH is physically connected by hallways to Children's Medical Center.
NBN Rotation
The PL-1 spends one month in the Newborn Nursery, which has over 14,500 admissions each year. Since over 75% of these babies are cared for by experienced pediatric nurse practitioners, the PL-1 may focus on a small number of patients, yet learn from a large clinical service.
NICU Rotation
The PL-1 will spend 1-2 months in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The NICU experience involves care of the premature and term neonates who require a higher level of care than would be found in the Newborn Nursery.
The NICU is subdivided into:
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Intensive Care Nursery (ICN) - for neonates who require the highest level of care (e.g. ventilation, pre and post-op surgery, pressor support, etc.)
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Acute Care Nursery (ACN) - for neonates who are less acutely ill, but require continuous monitoring
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Continuing Care Nursery (CCN) - those post-ICN/ACN babies who are stable, growing, and do not require continuous monitoring
2nd Year Resident Activities:
NBN Rotation
Although the PL-2 does not have a formal rotation through the NBN, s/he is sometimes scheduled to provide night-call coverage. This is an opportunity to refine delivery room skills and newborn assessments.
NICU Rotation
The PL-2 spends one month in the NICU and experiences these activities:
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Maintains a patient care assignment, and is given more responsibility for ICN patients
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Takes call every 4th night as the "Senior Resident" who leads the Resuscitation Team when called to high-risk deliveries
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Opportunities exist to perform procedures (umbilical vessel catheter placement, intubation, and thoracenteses).
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Provides antenatal consultations to Obstetricians in the Labor and Delivery area
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Serves as a resource for other Pediatric Residents
3rd Year Resident Activities:
NBN Rotation
The PL-3 spends two weeks in the NBN, and primarily functions as a teacher and supervisor of the 3rd year medical students who rotate weekly. The PL-3 takes every 4th night call in the NICU and provides delivery room coverage during the day. The PL-3 also has the option of learning the technique of Gomco circumcision during this rotation.
NICU Rotation
The PL-3 spends two weeks in the NICU.
Click Here for the Neonatal-Perinatal NICU Resident Orientation Handbook ("Blue Manual")