Parents or legal guardians can visit 24 hours per day; there are no scheduled visiting hours. All other visitors require permission by parents or legal guardians.
Only three visitors are permitted at the bedside at any time; however, exceptions may be approved by a manager or charge nurse.
Families and visitors are required to check in at the welcome desk before entering the unit, identifying themselves and the baby they’d like to see. Siblings are also welcome and must be signed in once a day when visiting.
Other children less than 12 years of age, are not permitted into the patient care area.
Parents or guardians are welcome to stay through the night; however, we cannot always provide sleeping accommodations directly next to their baby. For more information, connect with a member of our Social Work team.
After removing all hand jewelry, hand washing is required upon entry and exit of the unit. It is also required whenever you leave or enter your babies’ bed space and prior to touching your baby to help prevent the spread of infections.
Anyone with a fever, cough, runny nose, vomiting, diarrhea, or a communicable disease (like chickenpox) should not visit our unit.
Our unit is located on the second floor of the Sturgeon hospital - Unit 25 - alongside the Labour and Delivery unit.
Take the elevator at the front entrance of the hospital and follow the signs, or ask for assistance if you are unable to find your way. The unit is locked at all times. Simply ring the doorbell and tell staff who you are there to see.
All doors of the hospital are closed after 8PM, but you are welcome to be with your baby 24/7. If you require entrance after 8PM, enter through the Emergency Department and proceed to Security to check in.
An NICU multidisciplinary health care team consisting of bedside nurses, respiratory therapists, dieticians, pharmacists, social workers, nurse practitioners, neonatologists, and others will begin working with you and your baby as soon as they arrive on our unit.
You will be introduced to your baby’s health care providers and have an orientation to the unit and our general routines. A laminated copy of this information is at every bedside. You will also be given an information card including your baby’s Patient ID number (which you will need if telephoning the unit for information or an update).
While parents do not need to bring any supplies or clothing, parents are welcome to bring personal and comforting items for their baby such as photos, small stuffed toys, blankets, and clothing. We recommend that blankets and clothing are not knitted or woven as these could get caught on some of the supports and equipment like intravenous tubes (IVs).
Diapers and other materials needed for daily care are provided.
Having a baby in the NICU is often unplanned and can be an overwhelming experience for families. We welcome all of your questions and concerns and know that there are a variety of support resources available to meet your needs. We encourage you to speak to member of your health care team, a social worker, or ask to be connected with the Family Centered Care program at the Stollery.
We embrace a philosophy of care that is supportive to meet the unique needs of each baby hospitalized in the David Schiff NICU. We are committed to working with families. Our staff promote family connections, bonding, and participation in everyday care-giving by supporting parents in breast, bottle, and other feeding activities; touch, holding, and kangaroo care; and, providing comfort measures when babies are in distress.
Being discharged from hospital and taking your premature baby home for the first time can be overwhelming. Your medical team may have referred you to the Neonatal Home Support Team. We are a team of Registered Nurses, a speech language pathologist, a neonatal nurse practitioner and a neonatologist who can offer resources and support to help with your transition home.
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is striving to improve all aspects of care for our patients and their families at the Stollery NICU at the Royal Alexandra Hospital.
To ensure that we are providing the best care possible for our patients and their families, we ask that you provide your valuable feedback in this short survey.
All responses are anonymous. The data will be compiled and analyzed by a third party and only overall results will be presented to the NICU health care providers.
