NICU
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
The NICU at Ascension Providence, Southfield, is designated as a Level III NICU by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Level III NICUs have a wide variety of staff on-site, including neonatologists, neonatal nurses and respiratory therapists who are available 24/7. Infants born at less than 32 weeks gestational age and weighing less than 3.3 pounds and critically ill newborns of any gestational age and birth weight are taken care of in the NICU.
The current infrastructure and physical layout need to be revitalized and expanded to better support family privacy and staff caring for the infants.
Ascension Providence, Southfield, cares for an average of 200 NICU infants each year. The NICU must undergo a major renovation to bring excellent patient care to the next level with up-to-date facility features that will enhance the family stay, and reinforce the superior treatment provided by the medical team. The anticipated renovation will expand the NICU from 6,339 square feet to approximately 10,000 square feet by repurposing existing areas.
The renovated NICU will include:
- A new reception area and welcome station
- Fifteen private patient rooms, including space for multiples, where patients can spend as much time as they wish with their newborn
- Comfortable pull-out furniture, allowing parents to stay overnight.
- Ample space for state-of-the-art technology
- Increased privacy to limit overhearing confidential or difficult conversations about other babies
- Adjustable lighting, sound and airflow to reduce environmental stressors and meet each baby’s needs
- Interactive whiteboards in each room
- Two additional rooms with negative pressure capacity
- Central monitoring of all patients, allowing for shared responsibility and double-checks
- A separate lactation room, nutrition room and medication room
- A new family waiting room