Dignity Health St. John’s Regional Medical Center is pleased to share that its new all private room Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) welcomed its first patient today, Tuesday, September 8. The Level III NICU features 20 all private rooms, allowing parents to stay close to their newborns receiving intensive care. The NICU is the first of its kind in Ventura County.
The new family-centered unit, located adjacent to Labor and Delivery and the Mother Infant Unit, creates a healing atmosphere for baby with the added comfort of privacy for parents to breastfeed and practice skin-to-skin bonding. Private rooms allow one of the parents to stay overnight with their newborn, while creating a more collaborative relationship between parents and care team.
“A parent never expects that their baby will need to spend time in a NICU. However, those who do will tell you that the most difficult part of the experience is leaving their baby at the hospital at the end of the day,” says Darren Lee, President and CEO of St. John’s Regional Medical Center and St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital. “Our new family-centered NICU provides parents with the space and privacy to bond with their baby while the baby receives excellent specialized care.”
The 12,492-square-foot unit exceeds the size of the hospital’s previous NICU, which included two open layout rooms that grouped patients into eight-bed pods. The new space includes two isolation rooms and rooms that adjoin can be used to accommodate twins. In addition, the unit includes a family lounge with a kitchenette and shower to ensure the comfort of the parents.
“A family-centered approach to care has proven to improve the growth and outcome of our NICU babies,” said Annie Nguyen, interim Medical Director of the NICU at St. John’s Regional Medical Center. “We are excited to offer our NICU babies and their parents with the space to grow and bond.”
The Maternity and Birthing Center at SJRMC offers a loving start for every baby and loving care for every mom. Our private labor and delivery, and recovery suites are equipped with advanced equipment to ensure the safety of the mother and baby.
SJRMC has obstetricians on-site 24/7, as well as highly trained labor, delivery, and pediatric nurses, to ensure that mothers and babies receive the highest level of care at all times. To learn more about the Maternity and Birthing Center at SJRMC and our expansion projects visit, dignityhealth.org/stjohnsregional.
About Dignity Health St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital and St. John’s Regional Medical Center
St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital in Camarillo and St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard are members of Dignity Health Central Coast, an integrated network of top quality hospitals, with physicians from the most prestigious medical schools, and comprehensive outpatient services – all recognized for quality, safety and service. Both hospitals are supported by an active philanthropic Foundation to help meet the growing health care needs of our communities. Hospitals in the Dignity Health Central Coast region also include Arroyo Grande Community Hospital in Arroyo Grande, French Hospital Medical Center in San Luis Obispo, Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria. Learn more at DignityHealth.org/StJohnsRegional and DignityHealth.org/PleasantValley.
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