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<title>Special Care</title>
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<p align="center"><a name="Top">Top</a></p>
<p align="center"><font size="4"><strong>Guidelines for New Parents in the Special Care
Nursery</strong></font></p>
<p><img SRC="Special_Care_Nursery.gif" ALIGN="LEFT" WIDTH="199" HEIGHT="288">Welcome to The Credit Valley Hospital
Special Care&nbsp;Nursery.&nbsp; This is a unit designed for the care of moderate to
low-risk newborns.&nbsp; Although we have the experience and equipment to stabilize
high-risk infants born here, they are transferred to a Level 3 (high-risk) nursery as
quickly as possible.</p>
<p>Your first visit may be at a time of great stress.&nbsp; Your baby is not well, and
needs extra attention.&nbsp; Priorities in the first hours include making sure your baby
is warm, pink, breathing well on his/her own or with assistance, and maintaining an
adequate blood sugar level.&nbsp; The nurse assigned to your baby will answer any
questions you have, as soon as the information becomes available.&nbsp; Until the test
results are ready, here is some general information about the unit: </p>
<p>&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>The majority of our babies come from our Labour and Delivery unit.</li>
<li>Four to six babies a month are transferred from a Level 3 facility.</li>
<li>Babies are kept here until they are stable enough to room-in with mother on our
post-partum unit, or to go home.</li>
<li>We have, on average, 16 babies per day staying with us.&nbsp; Depending on the number of
births, we may range between 8 and 25 babies per day.</li>
<li>The nurses work 8 or 12-hour rotating shifts.</li>
<li>The number of nurses working depends on the number of babies and the amount of care they
require.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Transfers from a Level 3 Facility</strong></p>
<p>Congratulations!&nbsp; Your baby has graduated!&nbsp; Your baby no longer needs the
intensive care he/she received at birth.&nbsp; Our unit can easily meet your baby's needs
for growth and health.</p>
<p>The upset of the transfer may make your baby unstable for the first 2 to 3 days. &nbsp;
It is quite common for apneas, bradycardias, feeding disturbances and lethargy to
occur.&nbsp; Please be patient - when the initial upset is over, your baby will be ready
to pick up where he/she left off.</p>
<p>You may notice different ways of caring for your baby, compared to the other unit.
&nbsp; We encourage you to learn more than one way to care for your baby.&nbsp; This will
allow you to choose which way is best for you and your family at home.</p>
<p>Now that your baby is more stable, we will be constantly adjusting our care to
challenge his/her abilities to prepare for the earliest discharge home.&nbsp; We will use
your baby's cues to tell us when we can keep challenging or whether we need to slow down.
&nbsp; Please feel free to ask for updates on your baby's progress - and expect some
setbacks!</p>
<p><strong>The Care Team</strong></p>
<p>A primary nurse is assigned to each baby.&nbsp; She works closely with the medical team
to plan, implement and make recommendations for your baby's care.&nbsp; When the primary
nurse is not on duty, an associate nurse or other member of the care team will be
assigned.</p>
<p>Each doctor reviews their Special Care Nursery patients daily.&nbsp; An on-call doctor
is also available to deal with emergency changes in a baby's condition.&nbsp; If you have
any questions or concerns about your baby's condition or care, we encourage you to meet
with your baby's doctor.&nbsp; </p>
<p>Other health care providers, such as a Social Worker, Psychologist, Occupational
Therapist, Lactation Consultant and other support staff may be involved in the plan of
care.</p>
<p>You, the parents are the most important members of the care team.&nbsp; We strongly
encourage you to ask questions and seek clarification.&nbsp; And don't forget - we are
open 24 hours a day, so if you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to call! &nbsp;
The unit direct line is 905-813-3945.</p>
<p><strong>Baby Care</strong></p>
<p>Each time you enter the Special Care Nursery, please leave your coat/outer clothes in
the cloak area, and wash your hands at the outer sink.&nbsp; Practicing consistent
handwashing before handling your baby is essential to your baby's health.</p>
<p>The nurse assigned to your baby will assist you with basic newborn care until you feel
comfortable taking over.&nbsp; Feel free to bring in clothing, linen, a toy, and pictures
for your baby.</p>
<p><strong>Breastfeeding</strong></p>
<p>We encourage mothers to breastfeed.&nbsp; If your baby is too ill to go to the breast,
we will be glad to instruct you in the use of the breast pump.&nbsp; Please talk to your
baby's assigned nurse, or your nurse in the post-partum unit.&nbsp; Building a milk supply
while your baby is too ill to suck will require pumping every 3 to 4 hours, even at night.
&nbsp; If you have difficulties with breastfeeding or pumping, a Lactation Consultant is
available to provide additional help.&nbsp; Please inform your baby's nurse if you are
taking any medication.</p>
<p><strong>Visiting</strong></p>
<p>Parents are encouraged to visit at any time, except between 7:15 - 7:45 a.m. and p.m.</p>
<p>This is our shift change and the information discussed at this time is confidential.</p>
<p>For the security of your baby, visitors must be accompanied by the baby's parent.
&nbsp; Only one visitor is allowed at a time.&nbsp; By request, &quot;Grandparent
Passes&quot; are available, which allow grandparents to visit unaccompanied by a parent.
&nbsp; Grandparents must bring the pass with them for each visit and may not bring other
visitors with them.</p>
<p>Siblings may visit; however, other children under the age of 10 are not permitted.</p>
<p>To protect the privacy of each patient, parents and visitors are asked to remain at
their baby's bedside.</p>
<p>Please inform staff if visitors have been exposed to any COMMUNICABLE DISEASES during
the past month&nbsp; (specifically chicken pox, hepatitis, measles, mumps, rubella, or
whooping cough) or if you currently have a cold (i.e. cough, sore throat, fever),
vomiting, diarrhea, rash, itchy skin, or an infection of an kind.</p>
<p>There may be instances when visitors are asked to leave.&nbsp; The nurse will advise
you if this occurs.</p>
<p><strong>Parking</strong></p>
<p>A day pass may be purchased for $8.50.&nbsp; This will allow unlimited enter/exit
privilege for one day.&nbsp; These passes are available at the EXIT parking booth in the
parking lot.</p>
<p>If you are coming to the hospital more frequently, a parking pass may be purchased for
$60 per month, plus a $10 deposit.&nbsp; Monthly passes are available from the Cashier's
Office by the main entrance.</p>
<p><strong>Administration</strong></p>
<p>The day-to-day care of your baby is organized by highly trained professional nurses.
&nbsp; If you have concerns that you are not able to discuss with the nurse, you can call
the Nurse Manager.&nbsp; The Nurse Manager is available Monday to Friday, at varied hours.
&nbsp; Please call 905-813-2200, ext. 6386 to book an appointment.&nbsp; If the Nurse
Manager is unavailable, please leave your name and telephone number with the Unit and she
will return your call as soon as possible.</p>
<p><strong>Good luck, and congratulations on the birth of your beautiful baby!</strong></p>
<p>Please feel free to spend time in the Hospital Library, located just off the main
entrance lobby, down the hall to the right of the Gift Shoppe.&nbsp; Books and videos
relating to newborns and preemies are available for your use in the Library.&nbsp; The
Library is open Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.&nbsp; If you need any
assistance, the Library Technician will be glad to help you.</p>
<p align="center"><a href="#Top">To Top</a></p>
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