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Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
At Saint Alphonsus, all
of our newborn patients have immediate access, should it be necessary, to our
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for infants born prematurely or with medical problems.
Saint Alphonsus takes great pride in its Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), which provides 24-hour full-service specialty care for preterm infants from 23 weeks gestation to the sickest of full-term babies.
The unit's team approach provides an atmosphere for
neonatologists, nurses, respiratory therapists, social workers and parents
to work together to achieve outcomes that exceed national benchmarks. Through
specially developed programs developed by the neonatolgoists and NICU staff,
the Saint Alphonsus NICU length of stay and complication rates are significantly
lower than the national average.
The Saint Alphonsus NICU is a state-of-the-art facility
that features a pinwheel design, giving the patients privacy and a designated
area for each family.
Features of the Unit
- Dedicated family area with computer access, eating area and a playroom for siblings. These areas enable parents and families to be comfortable and near the baby around the clock.
- Four sleep rooms with shower facilities for parents with special needs to be near their baby.
- Overnight transition rooms are available, allowing parents to stay in the same room with their baby—knowing help is available if they need it—to gain confidence and get used to taking care of their baby before going home.
- In designing the unit, special attention was given to developmental care especially to the impact of the NICU on the infant and the family. Specific aspects of the environment, such as lighting and noise levels, were taken into consideration, as well as staff interaction with the infant.
- Special beds, called "giraffe beds," in the unit make it possible for the NICU infant to be admitted to spend most of their hospital stay in one warm and quiet environment.
- Isolation room accommodates two infants that need to be separated from the other babies or allows pediatric surgeons to perform surgery if an infant is too small or too sick to take to the main operating room.
- Certified Lactation Consultants are available to help new mothers with questions and problems. There is also a dedicated room for mothers to breastfeed or pump.
- Fanciful mural painted by Liz Wolf, a Boise artist, fills the walls inside the NICU. The colors of the mural blend with the facility and help families have a peaceful mindset.
March of Dimes Family Support Site for Idaho
The March of
Dimes and Saint Alphonsus have partnered to implement their national NICU Family
Support Program. March of Dimes NICU Family Support provides
information and comfort to families of premature babies and other critically
ill newborns being cared for in the NICU. The goal of the program is
to make the journey through newborn intensive care faster and less upsetting
for families. Click here to visit to March of Dimes Web site.
Health Interactive
Preparing for Your Baby
Find
out what you'll need on hand when your baby comes home.
