RESUMEN
PURPOSE: To conduct a national survey to assess practice, knowledge, barriers, and perceptions regarding oxygen saturation (SpO2) target limits among Dutch neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurses. DESIGN AND METHODS: Cross-sectional, web-based survey among 667 nurses from 9 level 3 Dutch NICUs. Part of the questions were based on a clinical scenario (28-weeks preterm infant, treated with CPAP, FiO2 0.4). RESULTS: 328 (53.6%) nurses responded to the survey. Of these, 281 (85.7%) reported to know the local policy of SpO2 target limits, and 261 (79.6%) and 244 (74.4%) rightly identified the lower and upper limit, respectively. Six NICUs recently increased their lower SpO2 limit and for 62.0% of their nurses this led to a significant alarm increase. For the majority of the respondents, the baby from the clinical scenario would spend <10% of the time outside the lower or upper SpO2 limits. Automated oxygen control systems were considered a good idea by 59.2% of the respondents, but 53.9% considered allowing parents to participate in FiO2 titration a bad or very bad idea. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of the respondents identified their unit's policy-specified SpO2 target limits and reported that the increase in SpO2 target limits may have led to more alarms. Titration of FiO2 is a part of care that respondents were reluctant to share with parents. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: A potential increase in the number of SpO2 alarms may lead to alarm fatigue. Although family-centered care philosophy is widely accepted across Dutch NICUs, there are still barriers to overcome.
