Neonatology means 'the study of newborn infants' and describes the work of a hospital department that provides medical care for premature newborns. The department is also known as the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit or NICU. Neonatal intensive care is provided at three different levels: Medium Care, High Care and Intensive Care.
Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
The Intensive Care Unit cares for newborns who require continuous care and monitoring. It can accommodate 13 newborn infants. If your infant is being cared for in the ICU, you will notice the many different medical devices. Some are there to monitor the infant's heart rate, breathing rate and oxygen levels in the blood. A respirator may also be used to support the infant's breathing or take over breathing entirely. When you visit the ICU for the first time, you may be shocked by the all the sounds and alarms produced by these devices. The nurse or physician can explain them to you.
ICU telephone number: +31 (0)43-387 42 05
High Care Unit
The High Care Unit cares for infants born prematurely (usually after 32 weeks and weighing no less than 1500 grams) who require extra care and monitoring but not intensive care. We can accommodate three to five High Care infants. Most of the newborns in the High Care Unit are in an incubator. Many of them still have an intravenous tube (IV tube or drip) that delivers nutrients and medication directly to their bloodstream. Their vital functions may still be very weak. There is a real possibility that artificial respiration will need to be resumed. To help us monitor them closely, we generally do not dress the infants. But rest assured, we keep them nice and warm.
High Care Unit telephone number: +31 (0)43-387 62 05
Medium Care Unit
This unit is for infants who require extra observation immediately after birth. These are infants who no longer require intensive care but need help with feeding, are underdeveloped, or are still on medication. The Medium Care Unit can accommodate ten infants.
They are usually tucked up in a (heated) cot.
Medium Care Unit telephone number: +31 (0)43-387 42 09
