ICU/NICU

🔊 INTENSIVE CARE UNITS

Pioneers Memorial Hospital has both an adult ICU and a level 2 neonatal ICU. A multidisciplinary approach by a specialized, highly trained team is used in both areas.

Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
An eight-bed unit serves medical and surgical patients with acute conditions that require critical care and monitoring.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)Newborns who require additional care due to prematurity or other medical issues can be cared for in our Level 2 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. This unit has seven beds and is staffed by specially trained nurses who will provide the best care possible for your new baby and help to support your family.

Visiting hours for the NICU are determined by the needs of the babies and families. Parents are welcome to visit their baby any time day or night. Visitors must be accompanied by a parent or have written permission from the parents to visit the baby alone.

Visitors with sore throats, diarrhea, fever, cold symptoms, or exposure to contagious disease within the preceding two weeks will be denied access to the NICU.

Common technology used in the NICU

Warmer
A warmer is a special bed that is used to maintain a baby’s body temperature. The warmer can provide warmth and help a baby maintain its temperature until they can do so on their own.

Phototherapy Light
Some babies are diagnosed with jaundice, also called hyperbilirubinemia. Bilirubin is a substance in the blood produced by the breakdown of red blood cells. This is a normal process for all babies, but some babies need extra help to manage the extra bilirubin. Special lights, called phototherapy lights, give off light in the blue spectrum. These lights alter the bilirubin in the skin to a water-soluble form so that the baby can rid the body of extra bilirubin through the urine or stool. If your baby needs phototherapy, you will notice they wear special glasses to protect their eyes.

Nasal Cannula
Some babies come to the NICU because they need extra help with breathing. These babies may be placed on a nasal cannula which is a small tube with prongs that go in the baby’s nose and around the head. This tube can provide extra oxygen to help a baby breathe easier.

IV Line
An IV is a small tube that is inserted into a vein that can be used to provide extra fluids, medicine, nutrition or blood to a baby who needs it.

Gavage Feeding
Some premature babies, and even full term babies, may need help with feedings. A small gavage tube (NG or OG tube) can be inserted through the nose or mouth into the stomach to supplement feedings. A baby with an NG tube can still breast and bottle feed, but can be supplemented as well if they are too small or too tired to eat enough by mouth.