Open Accessibility Menu
Hide

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