Diploma in Neonatal Care Technician

Programme Objective: To train students to work as Technicians in neonatal care areas along with doctors and nurses in taking care of normal and sick neonates and can ensure safe & effective use of technological systems. (Assist medical professionals in providing treatment and healthcare to neonates)

Course Duration: 2 Years

 Eligibility: 10+2 with science subjects (Physics, Chemistry, Biology/ Maths and English).

 Programme Aim/Focus

Neonatal care is a branch of healthcare that focuses on providing care for infants who were born prematurely, or are suffering from health problems such as birth defects, infections, or heart deformities. Neonatal care technicians are those who specialize in working with these young, vulnerable patients. Many neonatal work is in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU), providing highly specialized medical care to at risk newborns.

Employability

Completion of this programme offers lots of opportunities to work as technician in neonatal care areas. Plenty of prospects available both private in as well as public sectors hospitals to work in NICU, similar healthcare settings requiring emergencies and neonatal care.

Major Course Content of the Programme

First Year (Theory)

  • Normal Neonates & Low Birth Weight Neonates
  • Basic structure and functioning of NICU, Housekeeping & Infection Prevention, Clinical Skills
  • Basic English Communication Skills
  • Basic Computer/ IT Skills
  • Soft Skills –  Interpersonal skills & moral education

Second Year (Theory)

  • Neonatal Resuscitation & Common disorders of Neonates
  • NICU Equipment & Clinical Skills

Program Structure:

First Year

S. No. Subject Numbers of Hours /Week

Theory                  Practical

1 Basics of Human Anatomy and Physiology
2 Biochemistry
3 NICU Equipments and Techniques -I
4 Medicine in NICU
5 Patient’s Safety and Emergency Codes
6 Infection Control
7 Basic Communication and Soft Skills
8 Basic IT Skills    

 

Second Year

S. No. Subject Numbers of Hours /Week

Theory                  Practical

1 Pathology
2 Pharmacology and Microbiology
3 Basics of Neonatal Care
4 NICU Equipments and Techniques –II

(Monitoring/ Therapeutic Equipment)

5 Life Support Techniques
6 NICU Management

  1.1 Normal Neonates & Low Birth Weight Neonates

  • General Orientation about parts of Neonate. Various terms used in Anatomy. Total numbers of bones, their names & location. Basic idea about organization of body – from cell to organ systems
  • Structure of neonate animal cell, Cell organelles & their functions
  • Human tissue, types, structure & functions
  • Osteology of Neonate: Names, location, identification and basic details of all bones.
  • Joints of Neonate: types, basic structure & examples
  • Skin & appendages
  • GIT of Neonate: location, gross structure, various parts & their functions. Details of process of food ingestion, digestion, absorption & defecation
  • Respiratory tract of Neonate: location, gross structure, various parts & their functions. Details of breathing mechanism, different respiratory volumes
  • Urinary tract of Neonate: gross structure, various parts & their functions. Process of urine formation & voiding
  • Male reproductive system of Neonate: Gross structure & functions of different parts
  • Female reproductive system of Neonate: Gross structure & functions of different parts, menstrual cycle
  • Endocrine system of Neonate: Hormones secreted by Pituitary, Thyroid, Parathyroid, Pancreas, Adrenal cortex, Adrenal medulla, Gonads & functions of different hormones
  • Gross structure of Neonate brain & spinal cord, Functions of different parts of brain & spinal cord
  • Blood of Neonate: Composition & Functions. Details about Plasma, RBCs, WBCs, Platelets, Clotting system
  • Gross structure & functions of sensory organs – Eye, Ear, Nose, Tongue
  • Basic gross structure of heart, vessels opening into heart & leaving the heart. Arterial & Venous tree of body
  • Lymphatic system of Neonate: Structure & Functions
  • Immune system of Neonate: Components & various mechanisms of defense
  • Characteristics of a normal newborn
  • Concept of LBW, VLBW, ELBW babies

 

1.2Basic structure and functioning of NICU, Housekeeping & Infection Prevention, Clinical Skills

Introduction to Neonatal Care:Preterm, Term, Post Term babies,  AGA, SGA, LGA babies, Live born, Stillborn baby, Viable fetus. Calculation of neonatal mortality rate, perinatal mortality rate, still- birth rate and maternal mortality rate.Recording history of neonate. Examining a Neonate. Identification of common developmental and physiological problems of a neonate.

Care of the newborn at birth and beyond:Basic needs of a new born at birth, routine care of a newborn baby at birth, components of ‘clean chain’ and ‘warm chain, postnatal care for normal babies, to identify special care needs of babies.

Thermal Protection: Mechanism of heat loss in neonates, concept of warm chain,hyperthermia, record body temperature and grade hypothermia, prevent and manage hypothermia.

Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC):Distinguish between kangaroo mother care (KMC) and skin-to-skin care at birth, components and prerequisites for KMC, benefits of KMC and its procedure, Counseling of a mother for KMC.

Breastfeeding: Anatomy and physiology of breastfeeding, advantages of breastfeeding, correct techniques of breastfeeding, factors enhancing lactation, breast feeding counselling and support, managing breastfeeding problems.

Low Birth Weight Babies: Classification of LBW babies, physical features of preterm babies, problems of preterm & SGA babies, monitoring growth and nutrition of LBW baby, feeding of low birth weight babies.

Prevention of Infection, House- keeping and Waste Disposal: Prevention of infections in neonatal unit, effective hand washing, housekeeping and disinfection routines, waste disposal,    surveillance plan for infection control, managing infection outbreak.

Clinical Skills:Record vitals of neonates, weight and temperature recording, clinical assessment of hypothermia, cold stress and normal temperature, thermal control during hospitalization, transport and at home, assisted breast feeding – proper attachment, positioning and manual expression of milk, feeding tube insertion and proper positioning, gavage feeding and paladai feeding, intramuscular injection technique, intravenous access, development supportive care, pain management, growth monitoring of term and preterm neonates; cleaning of oral cavity,  eyes and body of baby.

1.3 Basic Communication and Soft Skills

1.4 Basic Computers / I T Skills

Introduction to computer: Input / Output devices; Memories – RAM and ROM its types; Kilobytes, MB, GB their conversions; Basics of Networking – LAN, WAN,MAN

Typing text in MS word, Text manipulating and formatting; Using different font sizes, bold, italics; Bullets and numbering; Pictures, file insertion; Aligning the text and justify; Choosing paper size, adjusting margins; Header and footer, inserting page numbers in a document; Printing a file with options; Using spell check and grammar; Find and replace; Mail merge; Inserting tables in a document.

Creating table in MS-Excel: Cell editing; Using formulas and functions; Manipulating data with excel; Using sort function to sort numbers and alphabets; Drawing graphs and charts using data in excel; Auto formatting; Inserting data from other worksheets.

Preparing new slides using MS-PowerPoint: Inserting slides, slide transition and animationusing templates; Different text and font sizes;Slides with sounds; Inserting clip arts, pictures, tables and graphs; Presentation using wizards.

Introduction to Internet: Using search engine; Google search; Exploring the next using Internet Explorer and Navigator; Uploading and Download of files and images; E-mail ID creation; Sending messages; Attaching files in E-mail.

 1.5 Practical

  • Record vitals of neonates
  • Record weight and temperature
  • Clinically assess hypothermia, cold stress and normal temperature
  • Achieve thermal control during hospitalization, transport and at home
  • Assist breast feeding
    • Ensure proper attachment
    • Ensure proper positioning
    • Manual expression of milk
  • Insert feeding tube and check its position
  • Do gavage feeding and paladai feeding
  • Give intramuscular injection
  • Establish intravenous access
  • Establish intravenous access
  • Provide development supportive care
  • Provide pain management
  • Monitor growth of term and preterm neonates
  • Clean oral cavity, eyes and body of baby

2.1 Neonatal Resuscitation & Common disorders of Neonates

Resuscitation of Newborn Baby:Assessment of newborn baby at birth; resuscitation of newborn baby.

Post- Resuscitation Management of an Asphyxiate:Initial stabilization and management; monitor an asphyxiated baby; recognizing poor prognostic factors.

Neonatal Seizures:Identification of neonatal seizures; causes of neonatal seizures; management of neonatal seizures.

Management of Hypoglycemia:Identification of babies at risk of hypoglycemia; screening of babies for hypoglycemia; management of hypoglycemia.

Neonatal Shock: Identifying shock; causes of shock and management of shock.

Respiratory Distress in Newborns: Respiratory distress; common causes of respiratory distress in term and preterm babies; identification of babies with respiratory distress and assessment of severity; administering oxygen; monitoring baby on oxygen therapy;Identification of neonates needing referral.

Neonatal Jaundice: Characteristics of physiological and pathological jaundice; clinical assessment of severity of jaundice; phototherapy; exchange transfusion; assessment of neonates with conjugated hyperbilirubinemia.

Neonatal Sepsis:Identification, interpretation treatment of neonates with sepsis screen

Anemia and Bleeding in Neonates:Causes of anemia and bleeding – Assessment and identification; blood component transfusion; techniques to deal with a transfusion reaction.

Emergency Triage Assessment and Treatment(ETAT):Process of identification of sick neonates requiring urgent attention; process of carrying out ETAT.

Criteria for Admission and Discharge for a Neonate

Neonatal Transport: Identifying babies who need transfer; prepare and organize transport; documentation and handing over procedure; family counselling and support; pre-referral stabilization and enroute care.

Follow-Up of High Risk Newborns: Identification babies needing follow- up (Identify at risk newborn); follow- up protocol.

Communication in Newborn Care: Understand forms of communication, types of information, various levels and components of communication in newborn care; effectiveness in communication with the family.

2.2 NICU Equipment & Clinical Skills

Care of baby on CPAP; Care of baby on ventilator; Care of baby under phototherapy; Prepare common medications; Perform blood glucose estimation using glucometer; Rewarm a baby under radiant warmer; Neonatal resuscitation; Urethral catheterization; Radiant warmer; Incubator; Phototherapy machine; Weighing machine; Suction machine; Oxygen concentrator;  Pulse oximeter; Multipara monitor; Infusion pump; Glucometer; Oxygen devices (nasal prongs & hood); Self-inflating bag; Breast pump; CPAP; T-piece resuscitator; Ventilator; Bilirubin analyzer; Laminar flow; Autoclave; Defibrillator; ECG; central medical gas, oxygen and suction; Fumigator.

2.3 Practical

Radiant warmer; Incubator; Phototherapy machine; Weighing machine; Suction machine;   Oxygen concentrator; Pulse oximeter; Multipara monitor;  Infusion pump;  Glucometer; Oxygen devices (nasal prongs & hood); Self-inflating bag; Breast pump; CPAP; T-piece resuscitator; Ventilator; Bilirubin analyzer; Laminar flow;  Autoclave;  Defibrillator;  ECG; Central medical gas, oxygen and suction; Fumigator.