NICU
About Us
-
23 bed Community NICU, designated by California Children’s Services providing care for infants as early as 24 weeks gestation
-
8 overflow care beds
-
23 private developmentally-friendly rooms for advanced care and family bonding, including a parent lounge where caregivers can decompress, shower and eat
-
Neonatologist on site 24/7
-
Advance monitoring and communications system, cycled lighting with noise precautions to reduce stress and enhance infant biological rhythms
-
Equipped with the latest advancements in respiratory care. The most common need of a newborn in the NICU is respiratory support due to prematurity, pneumonia, transient tachypnea of the newborn, and sepsis. Such support includes the following:
-
Oscillators
-
Conventional ventilators
-
CPAP
-
High flow nasal cannula
-
ROP screening by CCS paneled Pediatric Ophthalmologist Dr. D. Holt
-
Nurse-driven central line team (umbilical and PICC lines)
-
Late Pre-term Infant Program specific to Kaweah Health
-
Kaweah Health’s NICU interdisciplinary team
-
All CCS-paneled neonatologists
-
Clinical nurse specialist
-
Dedicated respiratory care practitioners 24/7
-
CCS-paneled medical social workers
-
CCS-paneled clinical registered dietitian
-
CCS-paneled occupational/physical/speech therapist
-
Dedicated developmental care nurse
-
Certified lactation counselors who provide lactation assistance
Kaweah Health’s NICU by the numbers
-
15: Average daily census
-
705: Total admission in 2021
-
117: Vent days in 2021
-
689: Central line days in 2021
-
7%: Newborn antibiotic exposure for all newborns born in 2021