The space expansion of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford marked a momentous occasion that benefits families, patients, and staff.
The Johnson Center for Pregnancy and Newborn Services now has 16 beds, the culmination of five years of efforts. Jacky Lam, the director of Neonatal Services, said the newly designed NICU room features advanced technology that ensures exceptional care in a nurturing environment for the next three decades.
Expanded NICU Space
One of the main features of the expanded space is its layout, which reflects a commitment to family-centered care. The area has 14 new rooms, 12 of which are private and the remaining two semi-private, designed explicitly for newborn twins.
The carefully thought-out designs allow families to be near their loved ones around the clock and maintain intimacy and comfort that was not previously possible. Lam added that, according to Stanford Medicine, the new spaces bring NICU care to the next level by allowing families to stay together.
She noted that for the first time, they have twin rooms, which ensures that twins stay near each other and enhances their shared journey from birth. Lawrence Prince, the chief of the Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, said the new rooms were designed to offer a serene, nurturing atmosphere for newborns and their mothers.
The updated unit has also adopted protocols that aim to meet the fragile babies' unique medical and developmental needs and support families throughout their healthcare journey. Additionally, Packard Children enhanced the unit's capabilities to care for critically ill newborns who need emergency surgery and other procedures.
Helping Families and Patients
The CEO of Stanford Medicine Children's Health, Paul A. King, emphasized the importance of continual advancement. He said that they are focusing on the comfort of patients and families across their entire organization, PR Newswire reported.
Packard Children's remains steadfast in its commitment to delivering premier maternity care for pregnant mothers and their infants. Recognized as a "high-performing" and top children's hospital in the United States, it offers top-tier obstetric, neonatal, and developmental medicine services under one roof.
A similarly positive development occurred when the Helmsley Charitable Trust granted $2 million to Monument Health for NICU care. Officials said the funding would help pay for more than 20 devices that will allow newborns to access care closer to their homes, as per SDPB.
