Neonatal early-onset sepsis calculator safety in an Australian tertiary perinatal centre.

Aim: To determine if any cases of culture-positive neonatal early-onset sepsis (EOS) would be missed using the neonatal EOS calculator, when compared with current guidelines and practices.

Methods: Retrospective audit of all neonates born at ≥35 weeks and admitted to Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital with EOS from January 2014 to December 2020. A missed case was defined as antibiotic therapy not being recommended within 24 h of birth.

Bacterial colonisation of the endotracheal tube in ventilated very preterm neonates: A retrospective cohort study.

Aim: To determine the rate, type and timing of bacterial endotracheal tube (ETT) colonisation in neonates born <32 weeks gestational age (GA); and if bacterial colonisation is associated with chronic lung disease (CLD), septicaemia, length-of-stay or mortality.

Methods: All intubated newborns born <32 weeks GA were included. Endotracheal aspirates were routinely obtained three times-per-week.

Methods for securing endotracheal tubes in newborn infants.

Background: Securing the endotracheal tube is a common procedure in the neonatal intensive care unit. Adequate fixation of the tube is essential to ensure effective ventilation of the infant whilst minimising potential complications secondary to the intervention. Methods used to secure the endotracheal tube often vary between units and sometimes even between healthcare providers in the same nursery.

Relationship between blood culture collection method and proportion of contaminated cultures in neonates.

Aim: This study aims to document methods of blood culture collection used in our neonatal unit and to determine whether or not the proportion of contaminated cultures varied according to method of collection. Two specific comparisons of interest were the proportion of contaminated cultures in samples collected via (i) preferred versus non-preferred methods, and (ii) peripheral cannulae at the time of insertion versus separate arterial or venous puncture.

Methods: Data were collected on every blood culture taken in the Grantley Stable Neonatal Unit of the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital over a 12-month period.

Leak around endotracheal tubes in ventilated newborns: an observational study.

Aim: The study aims to determine the incidence and magnitude of leak around endotracheal tubes (ETTs) in ventilated babies in our unit, and to identify any relationship between weight, gestation, head position or ETT tip position, and the amount of leak.

Methods: Ventilated infants in the neonatal unit of the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital were observed. Data were collected on ETT size, ventilator settings, body position, head position and amount of leak.

Prophylactic antibiotics to reduce morbidity and mortality in newborn infants with intercostal catheters.

Background: Intercostal catheters are commonly used for the drainage of intrathoracic collections in newborn infants, including pneumothorax and pleural effusions. Placement of an intercostal drain is a potential risk factor for nosocomial infection due to breach of the cutaneous barrier. Therefore, neonates who require intercostal drainage, especially those in high risk groups for nosocomial infection, may benefit from antibiotic prophylaxis.

Neonatal blood cultures: effect of delayed entry into the blood culture machine and bacterial concentration on the time to positive growth in a simulated model.

Aims: To determine if: time from blood culture inoculation to positive growth (total time to positive) and time from blood culture machine entry to positive growth (machine time to positive) is altered by delayed entry into the automated blood culture machine, and if the total time to positive differs by the concentration of organisms inoculated into blood culture bottles.

Methods: Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli and group B beta-haemolytic streptococci were chosen as clinically significant representative organisms. Two concentrations (> or =10 colony-forming units per millilitre and <1 colony-forming units per millilitre) were inoculated into PEDS BacT/Alert blood culture bottles and randomly allocated to one of three delayed automated blood culture machine entry times (30 min/8.

Aspiration of parenteral nutrition -- a previously unreported complication of central venous access in an infant: a case report.

Introduction: The insertion of percutaneous central venous catheters is a common procedure in neonatal intensive care nurseries. Placement of the catheter tip in a large central vein is most desirable. Occasionally, due to difficult venous access, catheter tips are left in places that are less than ideal.