NETS Equipment
NETS uses a variety of equipment to safely treat and transport newborns and pediatrics to and from UVa.
The most common form is the isolette (see above picture).
The isolettes we use are manufactured by Airborne. Each isolette has a propaq monitor and in early 2008 each isolette will have an INO Nitric Oxide module and an Crossvent 2i ventilator that can do multiple modes of ventilation.
The isolettes have an internal heater which keeps the newborn nice and warm, multiple IV syringe pumps, medical air/oxygen gas blender, EKG, Resp., SPO2, NIBP, & invasive line monitoring. NETS also carries portable I-STAT blood gas analyzers. This has been a huge help to NETS as before we would have to draw a blood sample, send it to the core lab at a refering hospital. We would wait for 30 minutes for the sample to return with results. Then we could make vent changes or decide to intubate. After that we would have to draw another gas and wait. With the I-STATS we can run our own labs in just at 2 minutes time! This has been a HUGE help with the care of the newborn!
We can also break down the isolette top portion and fit our pediatric conversion stretcher on the top. This is for babies >5kg that do not require heat to maintain body temps.
NETS also has the new Stryker Power PRO Rugged Cots that allow the provider to control the height of the stretcher with a single touch of a button, thus saving the back of many providers. Each isolette weighs over 250lbs on its own.
In 2008 4 new isolettes will be put into use by NETS and Pegasus. 3 isolettes will be used by NETS and 1 will be used by Pegasus. Each isolette will have the new ventilator, Nitric Module, Propaq monitor, and Airborne heat controls. One big change is that the isolette will be mounted on a stretcher instead of the normal stand up configuration to make for a stronger unit.
