#475 - đźź [CHNC 2026] - How Many Babies Are We Losing Because No One Can Pick Up a Probe?
The IncubatorSummary
Experts in neonatal cardiology emphasize the growing importance of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in improving patient outcomes for critically ill infants. During the CHNC Symposium, Dr. Rooney Toms and Dr. Jay Kim discuss the current state of cardiac POCUS, highlighting its potential to enhance the assessment and management of neonatal hemodynamics. They express concern over the lack of widespread training in cardiac ultrasound, which could lead to missed opportunities in acute care situations where timely intervention is crucial.
The discussion also addresses the barriers to implementing effective POCUS training in neonatal units, including the need for more machines, standardized training programs, and a shift in the culture surrounding ultrasound use among clinicians. Both doctors advocate for a collaborative approach, encouraging institutions to foster a culture of learning and support for POCUS initiatives. They call for increased advocacy and resource sharing within the neonatal community to accelerate the adoption of these critical skills, ultimately aiming to save more lives in neonatal intensive care units.
Show Notes
Send us Fan Mail When a baby crashes in the NICU, how long will it take before someone in the room can pick up a probe and look at the heart? Recording from day two of the CHNC Symposium, Daphna sits down with Dr. Rune Toms of Nicklaus Children’s Health System and Dr. Jae Kim of Cincinnati Children’s to discuss the urgent need to spread basic cardiac POCUS skills. They describe a minimum skill set for acute events, including function, volume, tamponade, and line position, and explain why depe...
More from The Incubator
Send us Fan Mail Day two of the CHNC Symposium is here! Daphna sets the stage for a full lineup of keynote speakers sharing the latest in care for the most complex babies in level IV NICUs. Stay tuned for all of today’s conversations. Support the show As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @dr...
Send us Fan Mail When a baby with a congenital kidney anomaly develops pulmonary hypoplasia and pulmonary hypertension, should ECMO be on the table? Recording live at the CHNC Symposium, Daphna sits down with Dr. Abhishek Makkar and Dr. Saeed Ahmed of Children’s Health in Dallas to discuss CAKUT, congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract. They share findings from their multicenter survey of CHNC and pediatric ECMO centers, which found that only about 10% of centers have guidelines,...
Send us Fan Mail What happens to a baby with severe BPD when the attending changes every two weeks and every plan starts over? Recording live at the CHNC Symposium, Daphna sits down with Dr. Sushmita Yallapragada, Dr. Riddhi Desai, and Dr. Jonathan Ibrahim of UT Southwestern and Children’s Health in Dallas to talk about BOOST, their Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Outcomes and Support Team, and the new 12-bed BPD unit within their NICU. They explain how a small core of physicians, APPs, nurses, an...
Send us Fan Mail When five specialists sit across from one frightened family, who responds when a parent starts to cry? Recording live at the CHNC Symposium, Daphna sits down with Dr. Zeynep Salih of Riley Children’s Hospital to talk about interdisciplinary prenatal counseling. Dr. Salih shares findings from interviews with 24 physicians: most prefer counseling together, so everyone is on the same page; nearly all said being a parent helps them empathize; and many deferred emotional moments t...
Send us Fan Mail If your NICU doesn’t offer dialysis, do families still know it’s an option? Recording live at the CHNC Symposium, Daphna sits down with pediatric nephrologist Dr. David Askenazi and nephrology nurse practitioner Kara Short of Children’s of Alabama, and neonatologist Dr. Cara Slagle, ahead of their workshop on practical approaches to neonatal renal replacement therapy. They explain why the most important topics are often the least discussed: medication dosing on dialysis, vasc...