Prem

So today started out like every other day. I got to work grabbed my study forms and headed to the NNU to round on the babies. Nothing new... I was working in Prem (the room that houses most of the premature babies) when one of the nurses brought a baby that was transferring from the ICU. He was in one of those plastic bassinets that are everywhere here and she placed him on a chair (not exactly the best place to put a baby) while she got his incubator here. Note.. that it would probably have been better to get the incubator ready and then move him from the ICU...but that's neither here nor there... anyway I hadn't seen her come in with the bassinet but I had noticed it on the chair as I rounded. Then three other nurses came in and she worked with them to give the morning medications to the rest of the babies. As I juggled files with the nurses I promptly forgot about the probable baby in the bassinet on the chair. Anyway while I was making my way around the room. She was pulling an incubator away from the wall very close to where the bassinet was resting in its precarious perch.
I looked down to write the weight for the baby I was reviewing into my form and then I hear "thunk". I look up and sure enough the bassinet is flipped over. I look to the nurse and she seems unfazed, she's noticed the bassinet but is intent on moving the incubator to a new position. I think oh...maybe she moved the baby, but I look in the incubator she's using and its empty..there's no sound of crying coming from the bassinet though, and you'd think that a baby that just went through a whirlwind flip would be a little miffed about it. Regardless a feeling of dread stole over me... I went to pick up the bassinet, since it really didn't make much sense to leave it lying there baby or not. I was thinking not of course. I lifted up the plastic and then removed the first blanket. No baby... oh ok I reasoned to myself as I bent to pick the rest maybe she placed the baby somewhere, else... especially as she sees me here picking up everything and doesn't seem the least concerned... I remove another blanket and stop and stare ... and sure enough there is the baby lying on the floor. It really shocked the crap out of me.. I mean I hadn't expected to see it there.

"There a baby on the floor" I yelled aghast as I bent to pick it up... she seeing the baby sprung into action, took it from me, and replaced it in the bassinet on the chair, but this time placing the chair such that the bassinet was between it and the wall. Oh yeah that much safer... She could tell I was a little stunned as she smiled sheepishly at me... and I'm thinking what are you smiling about, that premature baby just smacked its little head on the ground... I take a look at the baby it looks a little grey but otherwise fine and not even a peep, though that could be because its still trying to muster the will to live... I mean it did come from the ICU. I take another glance at the baby and then sit back down to collect myself and my papers. I mean when does that ever happen... really....that shouldn't happen.. right??... She finished hooking the baby up to various monitors and then looks and me and says she's sorry. I just look back, and say well it seems the baby's alright I guess..but maybe you should keep a close eye on it.... i kind of mumble because I not sure what to say...though I'm thinking maybe you shouldn't be apologizing to me.. maybe you should apologize to that baby's mother, or to that baby when in a few years it cant even count to five. I mean its already premature with RDS and HIV exposed it doesn't really need much more.