Some pregnancies are high-risk and demand a specialized level of care during both pregnancy and delivery. Other pregnancies may encounter unexpected problems. At birth, many of these babies require the life-saving care of a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit – the highest level of care available for newborns. (Check out one patient's experience with the NICU.)
Neonatologists – doctors with specialized training in the care of newborns – are on-site around the clock. The neonatologists are provided by Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center as part of a collaboration with UW Medicine to support Evergreen’s neonatal services. Together with specially trained nursing staff and ancillary staff, they provide life-saving care and high-tech monitoring until babies are stable on their own.
Evergreen’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit uses private and semi-private rooms for patient care. The comfortable, quiet environment supports healing while providing a welcoming atmosphere for parents and visitors. Studies show that away from the noise and constant activity of the typical ward-style neonatal intensive care unit, premature babies improve faster and are able to go home sooner. Because multiples are often high risk babies, most nursery rooms are equipped to handle twins and two rooms can accommodate triplets.
Our NICU Follow-up Clinic tracks all babies cared for in our Neonatal Intensive Care Nursery to monitor their risks for developmental delays or disabilities due to their prematurity.
Some babies need just a bit of extra care before they can go home. They’ll spend their first few days growing stronger in Evergreen’s Level II Special Care Nursery. Like the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the babies stay in private and semi-private rooms where parents can be involved in their baby’s care 24 hours a day. By the time your baby is ready to go home, you will feel confident and prepared to provide all your baby's care.