Nov
2008
Controversy Over ‘Preemie In The Pocket’ Picture
A senior nurse at Haifa’s Bnei Zion Medical Center’s neonatal unit was photographed recently with a premature baby-girl in her uniform pocket – as a humorous gesture.
The nurse is considered one of the ward’s most dedicated employees, with a career spanning more than a dozen years.
The weird part about the story is that the photo was taken as part of a presentation meant to be screened for parents of premature babies hospitalized in the the neonatal unit.
Dr. Amnon Rofe, director-general of the Bnei Zion Medical Center, said
“It Illustrates the ‘kangaroo method’ which is supposed to teach parents how to create a direct physical bond with the preemies. After we realized that when people see the photo they either smile or are completely shocked, we decided to take it out of the presentation.”
The nurse shown in the photo, stressed Dr. Rofe, “is a senior nurse, who’s very good at her job. All she did was pose for the photo, she didn’t initiate it.”
Any parent that has had a premature baby in an NICU will know that what this nurse is doing the NOT the ‘Kangaroo Method’.
Kangarooing your baby refers to skin to skin contact between the parent and baby to create a bond and give the baby security and warmth. Sticking a, what appears to be a 2.5 – 3lbs, baby in a pocket is not only the exact opposite of Kangaroo Care, but it was probably scary and cold for him/her.
This hospital definitely needs to re-evaluate how they teach parents to create a bond with their baby!
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Comment by Jasmin on 1 December 2008:
Unbelievable….my baby was preemie and spent almost 2 months in the NICU and thats defenitely not kangaroo method. If i saw a nurse holding my baby like that i would punch her square in the face. First off your supposed to keep the baby wrapped and warm if not in the incubator and what if she misstepped and that baby fell out of her pocket, man i would kill her. She should of been fired, thats not proffessional at all, that was very stupid of her to do.
Comment by zoe on 22 April 2009:
This is outrageous, completely disrespectful towards the infant and the family, having a premature baby should never been seen as “Humorous”. Its not safe regarding temperature control or maintainence of airway, and it not in accordance of any guidelines with regards to developmentally supportive care. (Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse)
Comment by Mandie on 29 June 2009:
OH MY GOSH! How can people HONESTLY treat Preemies that way? I mean, okay, if this ia a senior nurse, who is “Really good at her job”, WHY in God’s name would she do something like that? I don’t care if she didn’t initiate it, if she was a GOOD nurse, she would put a stop to it. That’s awful.
Comment by SIANIE on 5 August 2009:
this is awful, although she didn’t ‘initiate’ it, she still wasn’t senior enough to say she didn’t want to be a part of it. this woman should have been fired, do the parents of this baby now that this stupid woman did this? if id have known god knows what I would have done, but I do know she definatly wouldn’t be smiling. negligence and immaturity at its worst.
Comment by Heather on 20 August 2009:
You guys are ridiculous. I agree it was a stupid move but your so quick to jump on the nurse for being in the photo. WHERE in the article did it say the parents disagreed with their baby being used in the shot? NOWHERE so jump on them for treating the baby like crap too. I’m also sure it was uncomfortable for the baby, but definitely NOT harmful. Get off your high horses..or better yet…fall off
Comment by Mindy on 2 September 2009:
Until one of you is a NICU Nurse taking care of that specific baby, you can’t tell what is and what is not harmful for her. None of you were there either, so you don’t know exactly what happened and who was there. So I agree with Heather. Get off your high horses and don’t be so quick to point the finger before you know the FULL story from BOTH sides.
Comment by stacey knight on 5 September 2009:
my grandson is a preemie still in the nic unit in stpete all childrens. and i’ll tell you the nurses are unbelievable! this picture is awful! but it does not surprise me after what ive witnessed since the birth of my grandson. the nurses are horrible! not all, but most of them treat those infants life just another number! i can not wait until my precious baby can come home because i do not trust them. if this was my child in this picture, i would be in jail! and she wouldnt have a job!
Comment by stacey knight on 5 September 2009:
get off your high horses??!! are you stupid? if you done this to your own child, your baby would be snatched away from you! this is totally inapropriate behavior for a nurse! im sorry but she should be fired! i always thought the nic nurses were angels until i witnessed hours on end in the nic unit of what they do, trust me they are not what you think!