Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

About the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Welcome to the John Hunter Children's Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

The NICU is part of the New South Wales network of neonatal units serving Hunter New England and the North Coast of NSW. The Unit has 17 intensive care and 24 special care beds providing state-of-the-art, comprehensive specialty care to newborn infants with a wide range of congenital and acquired conditions. We care for more than 1000 newborns annually, including extremely premature infants born as early as 23 weeks gestation, up to term infants with a variety of medical and surgical illnesses.

In addition to the work on the intensive care unit, the staff provides advice and information to parents antenatally through the Maternal Foetal Medicine Unit. On the postnatal wards, they support midwives and oversee the care provided to babies with problems that may not require admission to the NICU itself.

The unit as a whole enjoys good liaison with the Community Nursing Team in order to provide ongoing care after leaving hospital. Follow-up care at John Hunter Children's Hospital is provided through the Growth and Development clinic for babies born at less than 34 weeks gestation or those presenting with significant neonatal problems. This includes extensive neurodevelopmental assessment at 12 and 24 months of corrected age.

An explanation of the levels within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is included in the video.

Who will be responsible for my baby's care?

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at John Hunter Children's Hospital consists of a specially trained team of specialist physicians, paediatric and newborn trainees, nurses and other health professionals with an aim to provide supportive, family centred care in a technologically cutting edge environment.

The nurse unit managers are in charge of all nursing staff which includes nurses of all grades, some of whom are in training. The medical staff consists of Neonatologists, neonatal fellows or advanced trainees, registrars and resident medical officers. The unit also has 5 neonatal nurse practitioners who work on a rotating shift with the junior medical staff in providing neonatal intensive care.

Other staff include social workers, radiographers, dietitians, pharmacist and physiotherapists.

Nursery Personnel

Neonatologists

Dr Christopher Wake (Director - Newborn Services)  
Dr Rebecca Glover
Dr Ian Wright
Dr Paul Craven
Dr Javeed Travadi
Dr Koert de Waal           

Neonatal Fellows (Advanced Neonatal Trainees)

Dr Ahmed Khan
Dr Larissa Korostenski

Nursing Unit Managers            

Life in the NICU - what to expect for parents and visitors

Around 25% of all babies born at John Hunter Hospital need the specialised care of the NICU. Some examples are babies born prematurely, babies with breathing difficulties and those requiring surgery.

The NICU environment can be quite daunting and terrifying for parents. They may find their newborn child hooked up to high-tech looking machines with tubes and wires. Some of the babies are so small they may not even look real. This initial experience is intensified by the fact that most parents were not expecting to be there and are therefore further unprepared for the sights and the sounds of the NICU. 

Parents can learn about their child's condition and the treatments and procedures that apply to the best of their ability. Additionally, parents can do many things to make their baby as comfortable as possible. Parents can whisper to or gently touch their baby. At some point "kangaroo care," which is a skin-to-skin holding of the baby, will be possible, as will breastfeeding. Mother's are encouraged to start expressing breast milk (if they wish to breastfeed) and gain a sense of accomplishment about doing something for their baby.

The staff in the unit are aware of how parents may feel and are trained to provide support. The unit also has the services of dedicated social workers keen to be of assistance in a range of ways from providing emotional support, facilitating meetings with Neonatal consultants, to organising meal vouchers and parking.

Visiting the NICU

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is situated on Level 3 of the John Hunter Hospital, next door to the Delivery Suite and opposite Ward J3.

Parents and siblings are welcome in the nursery, and visiting is very liberal. However, we do strictly adhere to the following guidelines (pdf 76K).

Hand hygiene

To reduce the risk of infection for your baby we ask all parents and visitors to wash their hands every time they enter the nursery. It is necessary to remove bracelets and watches, jackets & coats, roll sleeves up and wash arms up to the elbows.  We also require all visitors to gel there hands with Aquim gel kept at each baby's bed side prior to and after any contact with the baby or his/her equipment. A handout is available for further information - please ask the nurse looking after your baby.

Visiting guidelines

• No visitors unless they are accompanied by a parent or the parent gives permission by notifying the NICU staff.  You may write a visitor list and leave it by your baby's bed side.
• Only 2 visitors at the baby's bed side at any one time and this number includes parents.
• Visitors who have a cold, influenza, cold sore, diarrhoea, vomiting or any other infection please check with the nursing staff before entering the nursery.
• We request that when you visit, you stay by your baby's bed side and do not visit other babies.
• We have a code of confidentiality in the nursery, so no information will be given to any visitor other than the parents.
• Please ensure that footwear is worn in the nursery at all times. The reason we ask this is because sometimes accidental breakages or spillages may put you at risk.
• Please observe the signs placed around the NICU. These have been placed to make the nursery environment better for your baby.
• Visitors are NOT permitted to have hot drinks or food in the patient care areas of the NICU
• Please switch your mobile phones to SILENT in the NICU as they may create a noise hazard for sick babies.
• Please do not leave any valuables unattended on the unit.
• Lockers are available at the entrance to NICU 2 for parents and visitors to use. We strongly encourage you to use these lockers for the duration of your baby's stay in NICU to keep your valuables secure. For a $10 deposit, you will be allocated a locker and provided a key. Upon your baby's discharge from the NICU, and return of the key, you will receive your $10 deposit back. Please see the NUM 2 or nurse caring for your baby to arrange your locker key.

Visiting hours

Parents may visit their baby at any time of the day.

• Quiet time is 1pm - 3pm daily.  This is your baby's rest or sleep time and gives the baby a break from the normally bright and busy environment of the NICU. Parents only are welcome to visit at this time.
• The nursery may be closed at other times during the day for sterile procedures or at very busy times. This is at the discretion of the staff. We do hope that this does not cause any inconvenience to you or your visitors.

Neonatal Transport Service - about the service NETS provides

The unit serves as the northern arm of the NSW Newborn and Paediatric Emergency Transport Service (NETS) of NSW. We provide both road and air (rotary wing) retrievals of sick newborns who need intensive care from hospitals within the Hunter New England, Central Coast and North Coast region.

Our retrieval team consists of a neonatal fellow or neonatal nurse practitioner, a dedicated neonatal nurse and a consultant neonatologist. Staff are experienced in neonatal intensive care and trained in working in a transport environment.

Support Sessions in the NICU

Regular parent education sessions are held in the NICU lounge every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Please check the noticeboard outside the parent lounge (just inside the main entrance to the NICU) for session times and information.

Rotating Topics

Monday 1.30pm parent information sessions on topics such as Coping with the NICU Experience, Becoming your Baby's Whisperer, Feeding Your Baby, Reading and Talking to Your Baby and Nutrition for Parent and Baby.

Parent Morning Tea

These are held every Wednesday at 10am.  We invite parents to join us to discuss topics relating to your baby.  This is an opportunity to ask questions, clarify issues and meet with other parents.

What to Do in an Emergency at Home

(CPR) classes

We recommend that you attend CPR classes designed for all babies.  These classes are in addition to any other CPR program you might have attended previously.  Classes are held on a Wednesday at 11.30am in the nursery. CPR classes can also be arranged in the post-natal wards (see ward K2 for days and times).  If you are unable to attend on a Wednesday please ask the nurse caring for your baby to arrange an alternative time for you.

Supporting Your Baby's Development

This session is held on Fridays at 11.00am. This is important to attend especially if your baby was born at less than 32 weeks gestation.

Formula Demonstrations

If your baby is formula fed, arrangements will be made in the postnatal ward, for a formula demonstration prior to discharge, while rooming in.

Facilities for Parents

Accommodation - Ronald McDonald House can usually provide accommodation for parents who are from out of town.  This can be arranged by the NICU social worker.

The ‘Ronald McDonald Room' (adjacent to Ward J1) is available for parents to have a rest; express breast milk; shower and take some ‘time out'.  Tea and coffee facilities are available.

NICU Parent's Lounge - Just inside the main entrance to the NICU. (This room may be needed for meetings and will not be available to parents and visitors at this time. Please note "In Use" sign on door. )

Social Worker - There is a social worker on staff who is involved in providing support for families of all infants in our nursery.  The nursing staff can contact the social worker for you, so please ask.

Outreach Liaison Nurse is available in working hours for any problems you may wish to discuss.

Contact Details

It is important to note that our unit policy is to give information over the phone to parents only.

When phoning please ask to speak to the nurse caring for your baby.