First in the Nation, Level IV Neonatal Transitional Care Center
New parents understandably are eager to bring their babies home after they leave the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Yet, many of these newborns still require extra care and attention before they are ready to go home.
At University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, we offer a 44-bed Level IV Transitional Care Center that was first of its kind in the nation. Our Transitional Care Center has been a global model for helping families transition from intensive care to home, functioning as a step in between to prepare both babies and parents for life beyond our specialty care.
The Family’s Next Step on the Road to Home
The Transitional Care Center offers a family-centered healing environment to help babies continue to grow, develop and gain strength while having access to the same specialized equipment and care teams available in our NICU.
The center has 44 private rooms, including a sofa bed, TV and other amenities, designed to help parents feel more comfortable in their home away from homewhile staying close by their recovering little ones.
Education and Medical Training Gives Parents Confidence in Specialized Newborn Care
Newborn specialists,neonatal nurse practitioners and other team members in the Transitional Care Center are specially trained to take care of both infants and their parents. In addition to treating the newborn’s medical needs, they also take an active part training, educating and supporting parents as they prepare for the road home.
Here, parents will get to live with their babies and receive hands-on training to learn how to care for them and any special needs before they make the transition home.
Specialized education and training may include:
- Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
- Feeding
- Administering medication
- Oxygentherapy
- Ventilator care
Our team at the Transition Care Center at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital invests time and resources in training and education, based on individual needs or medical requirements. This commitment enables parents to be more comfortable and confident in the care for their newborn. This confidence and specialized education also gives the baby a greater chance for continued progress.