NICU Patient Information

About NICU

NICU is a busy ward with 36 cots.  Of these, 12 are intensive care cots, 10 are high dependency and 14 are special care. 

8 Consultants share the running of the NICU, based on a weekly rota.  Currently there are 4 Registrars, 10 Junior Doctors and 2 Nurse Practitioners attached to the unit.

There are 3 ward rounds every day: in the morning, at 1630 at handover, and at 2200 in the evening.  On Wednesday morning we have a mutidisciplinary grand round which is attended by all Neonatal Consultants.   

Our services for patients and parents include:

• an excellent standard of clinical care from a dedicated team of neonatal doctors and nurses
• access to specialist teams such as Paediatric Surgery, Cardiology, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Nephrology, Ophthalmology and Ear Nose and Throat (ENT)
• Outpatient Cinics every Tuesday afternoon and Friday morning, when patients may be seen following discharge, usually until the age of 2 years old
• a team of 4 outreach nurses who visit discharged patients at home and / or liaise closely with parents by phone
• 3 Neonatal Nurse Practioners and one currently in training
• monthly Joint Neonatal Renal (JNR) clinic for managing antenatal renal problems
• 1 fully trained counsellor who helps support families during their time on the NICU
• counselling sessions for parents who are referred from the Fetal Medicine Department.

Visiting

Parents and siblings have open access visiting to the Neonatal Unit.  However, we do ask parents to leave the unit during ward rounds in order to observe patient confidentiality.

Accommodation

We will endeavour to provide a room for parents to stay overnight, in particular those that live far away.  Both Ty Croeso and Peter Gray House have rooms available to us and both of these accommodation areas are situated near the Neonatal Unit.

Support for parents

The Cardiff Special Care Baby Association (Registered Charity No: 511056) was set up by parents and staff of the Neonatal Unit in 1987.  From this, SCIPS (Special Care Infant Parent Support Group) was formed, with the aim of fundraising for equipment, and providing support to other parents going through similar stressful experiences whilst on the Neonatal Unit. 

Monthly coffee mornings are held for parents of babies previously cared for on the Neonatal Unit, with a welcome and drop in session for current parents and staff members.  Social events, such as quiz nights and skittles evening, are held every 4 months. SCIPS hosts an annual Christmas party for ex patients and their families, as well as supporting the Easter Remembrance Service for loved and lost babies.

For further information, please telephone 029 2074 2680.