NICU Graduate Nursery
NICU Nursery Helps Infants and Parents Prepare to Go Home
The NICU Nursery is designed to help prepare parents for the care of their
baby or preemie. It is important that new parents feel comfortable and
can properly care for a new baby before leaving the hospital.
Preemies sometimes have a long and difficult course while they grow and
mature. Because preemies have special needs, there are special procedures
that may need to be done before preemie babies can go home. These include:
-
Car Seat Testing (babies less than 37 weeks gestation)
- Sleep study
- Hearing Screen
- Vaccines
- Medication administration teaching (if applicable)
- MDT(PKU)-Metabolic Disease Testing
- Circumcision (if applicable)
- Baby pictures
Caring for Your Preemie or New Baby
It is important for all new parents to be involved and informed about baby's
daily care needs. New parents are provided with a "report card"
which lists all the tasks that they will need to learn and complete in
order for their baby to go home. The Graduate Nursery staff will assist
new parents in ensuring that they:
- Bring in the appropriate car seat (written instructions are available from
the nursing staff)
- Sign consent for circumcision (if applicable).
- Sign consents for vaccines.
- Attend and complete CPR training.
- Receive home monitor training (if needed).
- Receive Home oxygen training (if needed).
- Schedule follow up appointments as indicated.
- Bring in a "going home" outfit for pictures just prior to discharge day.
- Attend the Preemie Infant Care Class.
- Participate in baby's care as often as possible.
- Check mailbox and parent info board daily.