Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) at St. Rose Dominican
The compassionate teams in the neonatal intensive care units at St. Rose Dominican provide extra care and attention for premature or critically ill babies. If your child needs these extra services, it can be a difficult time for parents and families. But you can be assured that your baby is in the best hands. We are here to support you, explain treatment options, and answer any questions you may have.
San Martín Hospital is home to a Level II NICU, and our Siena Hospital is home to a Level III NICU, the highest designation available. This means we are able to seamlessly transport any of our littlest patients to this location in Henderson, Nevada, if any specialized care is needed.
NICU Level Numbers: What Do They Mean for You?
The level numbers of NICUs indicate the type of care each team can provide for premature or critically ill newborns. The care each baby needs, and the NICU level required, depends on a few factors:
- Severity of the condition the baby is born with
- The baby’s gestational age (how many weeks pregnant the mother was at the time of birth)
Level II NICUs care for babies who are born at more than 32 weeks gestation or who are recovering from more serious conditions.
We may refer to a Level II NICU as a “transitional nursery” or a “step-down unit.” A Level II NICU often provides care for babies who were receiving treatment at a Level III NICU but who no longer need the highest level of care. Our Level II NICU at San Martín Hospital is equipped to monitor for apnea spells, provide intravenous lines for special medications, offer feeding assistance, or use an incubator or other assistance to maintain body temperature. We use advanced monitoring equipment to ensure our smallest patients are safe at all times.
Level III NICUs care for those babies who need the most advanced treatments. This includes problems with breathing, heart conditions, and birth defects. Our modern, comfortable Level III NICU at Siena Hospital features 26 NICU bays with the most advanced technology, such as self-contained, versatile infant beds and sophisticated monitoring equipment. We monitor sick or premature newborns while providing a full range of neonatal treatment for babies who need extra care.
Our Level III NICU includes a team of specialists, including on-site, board-certified neonatal physicians (certified through the American Board of Pediatrics-Neonatal/Perinatal Medicine or American Board of Osteopathic Pediatrics-Neonatology), neonatal nurses, as well as physical, speech-language, and occupational therapists. We also use advanced neonatal technology. Our unit features self-contained Giraffe OmniBeds. These are versatile infant beds that provide emergency access and can convert to a protective, quiet environment, allowing your baby to grow and develop.
Our Neonatal Transport Team
When you have your baby at our San Martín Birthing Center, you can trust in a team that is dedicated to their safety and well-being. If your child needs extra care, our neonatal transport team can coordinate transfers to and from our NICUs at San Martín Hospital and Siena Hospital, keeping our small patients safe and comfortable.
Some newborns start out needing the higher-level care available at our Level III NICU at Siena Hospital. Then, as they improve, they can transition to the Level II NICU at San Martín Hospital. Our NICU teams are in constant communication with each other, so when your baby is ready to transfer, you can feel confident that his or her care will remain smooth and uninterrupted.
Interested in Exploring Our San Martín Birth Center?
We understand that you have options when choosing a doctor and hospital for your pregnancy journey, so we’d love to show you around our birth center and answer any of your questions. Together, we can help you figure out if we’re the right fit.
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