Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

As parents during the pregnancy you eagerly look forward to your baby’s arrival and bringing your new family member home. Understandably it can be traumatic if your baby requires extra care.

If you deliver a premature or sick newborn they may need to be admitted into a specialised area of the hospital equipped to care for them. This specialised medical unit may be called;

• Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
• Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
• Intensive Care Nursery (ICN)
• Special Care Nursery (SCN)

These specialised medical units can be a very foreign and highly technical environment, at first parents may find this to be overwhelming and a little frightening, understanding the unit and what goes on within it can help reduce your fears and help your baby.

The NICU combines advanced life supporting equipment with trained healthcare professionals. It is an intensive care unit designed to meet the unique needs of premature and sick newborns. Babies may be sent to NICU if:

• they are born prematurely (before 37 weeks gestation)
• have a low birth weight (less than 2500 grams)
• difficulties occur during their delivery
• they are full term but may have a complication such as difficulties with breathing, infections, surgical needs or birth defects.
• Twins, triplets, and other multiples are often admitted to the NICU, as they tend to be born earlier and smaller than single birth babies.

Some of the babies are critically ill, whilst others may need specialised care and observation while they grow.

In Australia just about all hospitals with maternity services (public and private) will have some type of 'nursery' for close observation of babies.

If your baby needs admission into a more specialised unit such as a NICU or SCN, it may be in the hospital where the baby has been born, or your baby may need to be transferred to a different hospital for ongoing care.

Quiet times

Many NICU and SCN have quiet times; this is a specific time throughout the day that is allocated to giving the babies a rest. Usually the lights are dimmed, curtains closed, noise kept to a minimum and minimal disruption to the babies as possible. Parents are welcome; however other visitors will not be allowed.

Staffing

A Newborn Intensive Care Unit requires staff 24 hours a day and the care of your baby is given by nursing staff which change shifts numerous times throughout the day. Each unit has a different pattern, some change 2 times per day and others 3 times per day and at each shift change nursing staff will conduct a handover of your baby’s care.

Doctors Rounds

Doctor’s rounds generally occur twice a day (morning and evening). Due to privacy laws you may be asked to leave the unit during rounds, each hospital will have a different policy.

Transferring to a different Unit

Some hospitals do not have a Newborn Intensive Care Unit and babies must be transferred to another hospital that does.Once a baby is medically stable and no longer requires intensive care your baby may be transferred to a special care nursery closer to your home.