An analysis of air transport results in the sick newborn infant: Part I. The transport team.

Regionalization of neonatal intensive care has necessitated air transport of the critically ill infant in sparsely populated areas. All newborn air transports to four Denver area newborn intensive-care units over a 14-month period were reviewed. An emergency-care nurse and a neonatal intensive-care nurse provided the basic transport team with physician assistance in selected cases. Infants were evaluated and stabilized at the referring hospital before moving the infant. The transports were analyzed for the type of air craft utilized, reason for referral, and mortality. The results indicate that prior planning will permit the use of the most appropriate aircraft and transport team. When using well-trained transport personnel, the presence of a physician may be limited to specific situations without adversely affecting overall neonatal mortality.