Your baby’s stay at the NICU at CHOC Hospital
This short video will describe what you can expect during your baby’s stay in in the neonatal intensive care unit or NICU at CHOC Hospital.
You can come to the NICU and stay with your child 24 hours a day.
If you can’t be at the hospital with your baby, you can log onto the internet and see your baby on a web camera.
At your baby’s bedside, you may see many different machines and equipment that beep and sound alarms. The beeps and alarms don’t necessarily mean there’s an emergency.
Your medical team will explain what each machine does.
Nurses will visit your baby regularly to check vital signs, change diapers, provide other care and start feedings. You are welcome to participate fully in your baby’s care.
The medical team will visit your baby in the morning, or more frequently, if needed.
You are encouraged to contribute and ask questions at any time.
Your room includes a nurse call button to reach your nurse or clinical associate. It’s located near the crib.
If at any time you have a medical concern that you feel is not being addressed, you can call a Family Activated Rapid Response. Press 15433. With this call, a team will come and check your child’s condition and care for immediate medical needs.
While your baby is connected to monitors, you may feel like it’s hard to bond with your baby. Your nurse and medical team will do their best to help you with your bonding experience.
When your baby’s doctor decides your baby is ready to go home, the nurse will talk to you about caring for your baby at home.
The nurse will also review your baby’s discharge paperwork and ensure your questions have been answered.
A pharmacist will also come to provide medications you’ll need at home and discuss instructions and side effects. This might take a couple hours.