Departments and hospital information.

FICARE MODEL AND STRUCTURE OF THE NICU

Departments and hospital information

Department information

Welcome to the neonatology department of University Teaching Hospitals-Women and Newborn Hospital.

The ward is an Open Bay Unit: there are several incubators and/or cribs in the same unit/room. The specialised nurses provide care for the infants. The workspace for the doctors and nursing staff has been placed in the middle of the ward. In this workspace, the nurses can oversee the monitors of the different babies, and the glass walls allow them to keep a close eye on the ward.
As soon as children are stable enough and don’t need high complex neonatal care anymore, they can sometimes be transferred to the Kangaroo Mother Care ward which is part of the neonatology department. The last bit of the hospital admission can then be completed in this department, where the nurses can support things such as learning how to feed, skin to skin contact and caring for your baby.

The Mothers Shelter is accommodation within the hospital premises for stable mothers with babies admitted to the NICU. Please speak to the staff if you need assistance with accommodation. In some cases, mothers may be admitted in the postnatal ward while caring for their baby in NICU. Stable mothers with babies admitted in the Kangaroo Mother Care ward can stay with their babies.

Visiting rules relatives and friends

In most departments of neonatology parents are welcome 24 hours a day, and in some wards such as the Kangaroo Mother Care, it is possible to stay with your baby throughout the day and night. Young children are not allowed on the unit. Visiting hours are between 06:00-07:00 and 16:00-17:00. Two visitors at a time may see your baby, one of them being a parent, and will require identification forms for security purposesChanging visitors is possible within limitations. Visitors who do not feel well or are ill, for instance, with a cold or cold sores, are not allowed to visit the department. If in doubt, please ask a nurse or other team member. In special situations these visiting rules change for the safety of the patient and the family. We ask you to store your belongings before entering the room or ward. Make sure not to leave any valuables behind. Before you enter the ward or the room, you have to wash your hands thoroughly (see also the article “Washing hands”).

Hospital facilities

For parking you can use the public parking available on the hospital premises. There are some eateries near the main building of the hospital and near the hospital. Meals are provided at no extra charge for parents/guardians staying in the Mothers Shelter or Kangaroo Mother Care ward.

Who is who

In the department of neonatology various disciplines are involved in your baby’s treatment. It is nice to know who you are dealing with during your baby’s stay in hospital.

Neonatologist: The neonatologist is the supervisor within the department. This is a paediatrician who is specialised in the care of newly born babies who may be sick and/or premature. They have the final responsibility for the treatment given.
Paediatrician: A doctor who specialises in the medical care for children. A paeditrician specialist can have a chosen specialty,for example Cardiology or Nephrology.
Nursing specialist/practitioner: A nurse with medical authority who is co-responsible for the medical affairs in the department on a daily basis.
Resident doctor: Doctors who are gaining theoretical and practical experience in neonatology and are co-responsible for the daily medical affairs in the department.
Nurse: The nurses are responsible for the daily medical care for infants in the department.

Intern/Medical student: a medical student who is gaining practical experience in a hospital.
Junior doctor: an intern in the final stage of the training. The junior doctor has the same duties as the resident doctor, but is still supervised and guided by the paediatrician.
Patient and/or Room Service Officer: the co-worker Patient Service makes sure that the department stocks are full and is responsible for preparing the nutrition.
Physiotherapist: The physiotherapist examines and closely follows your baby’s development.
Spiritual care: A religious/spiritual caretaker can provide support and guidance if you need this during the admission of your baby.
Nutritionists and nutritio denmonstrators The nutritionists alongwith nutrition demonstrators offer support withbreastfeeding and can help you with latching on and expressing. They also help prepare and administer formula feeds.
Medical Social Worker: You can contact the medical social worker if your baby’s hospitalization has drastic consequences for you and your situation.
Psychologist: You can contact the psychologist if you experience psychological consequences as a result of your baby’s hospitalization.
Department secretary: The department secretary looks after a large part of the administrative procedures.
Volunteer: Volunteers are active in different places all over the hospital. They help the staff, patients and visitors in various ways.

Rooming-in during a stay in hospital

The Kangaroo Mother Care ward is the only ward under the department of neonatology that allows for stable babies, generally premature, to stay with their mothers whilst preparing to go home. It gives you the chance to look after your baby yourself with support from the nurses. You are supposed to do the feeding yourself. If you breastfeed, usually a breastfeeding plan is made in consultation with the nutritionist and/or nurse. Some babies will be able to be fed everything from the breast, while others are too tired for this. Babies get assessed daily for readiness for discharge home.