Neonatal Intensive Care
Who we are
PCH’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) provides intensive and high dependency care for the sickest babies and infants. Over 700 babies are admitted to PCH’s NICU each year for a wide range of specialist investigations or complex medical and surgical problems.
We develop and share clinical guidelines and shared medical and nursing staff with the NICU at King Edward Memorial Hospital.
We also work closely with PCH’s subspecialist teams and departments, including General Surgery, Cardiology, Neurology, Physiotherapy, Speech Pathology and Dietetics, etc.
Services we provide
Our unit has:
- 20 intensive care beds for critically ill babies and those undergoing major surgery.
- 10 high dependency beds for babies who require close observation and general neonatal care.
Parent accommodation
There are five NICU parent suites for parents or primary carers of critically unwell babies, including three rooms for postnatal mothers and two standard parent rooms. Eligibility criteria and restrictions apply. Please ask a member of staff for more information about parent accommodation.
Visiting the NICU
Parents and primary carers may spend time with their baby 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
For the health and safety of babies in the NICU, other visitors are restricted as follows:
- Only parents and grandparents may visit.
- Visiting hours for grandparents 8am – 8pm.
- A maximum of two visitors at a time.
- One parent must be present during all visits (i.e. one grandparent with one parent).
- Any visitors who are or have recently been unwell with an infection, cold or flu should check with the bedside nurse or nurse in charge by phone before visiting the NICU.
Special circumstances may be considered, please talk to senior staff about permission for people other than those listed.
Discharge planning
We understand that your baby’s discharge from the NICU can be an anxious time. Our senior medical and nursing staff will work closely with you to ensure you are fully prepared to take care of your baby at home. Follow up arrangements vary from child to child. Your child’s follow up arrangements may include your local Child Health Clinic and GP or large multi-disciplinary PCH teams and Hospital in the Home nurses.
Referrals
NICU patients are primarily admitted via the Newborn Emergency Transport Service of Western Australia (NETS WA), the statewide retrieval service for newborns. Patients may also be admitted via PCH’s Emergency Department.