| Levels of Hospital
Care for Premature
Infants
The amount of medical and nursing care that your baby needs depends on the severity of your baby’s illness. Many hospitals create a separate unit for babies who are very ill, and another unit for babies who need special nursing care, but are not critically ill. The design and organization of these units varies from hospital to hospital. The following is a general description of the levels of care. Please note that the definitions of Level II and Level III nurseries vary by geographic location. Normal newborn nurseries are called Level I nurseries. Care provided in Level I nurseries usually includes:
Level II nurseries (also called transitional nurseries, special care nurseries, or NICU step-down units), provide care for babies who need more help or closer watching than a Level I nursery can provide. Babies in Level II may need:
Level II staff work closely with families, teaching them about any special procedures or medications their babies may need at home. Most babies with birth weights less than 2500 grams (about 5 pounds, 8 ounces) or who are born more than six weeks prematurely go to a Level II or Level III unit for observation or treatment. |
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