ProHealth Waukesha Memorial Hospital to open newly renovated NICU

ProHealth Care’s newly renovated neonatal intensive care unit will open April 9 on the third floor at ProHealth Waukesha Memorial Hospital. The redesigned unit focuses on family-centered care, with fully equipped private patient rooms for parents and babies, including twins and triplets.

The project included construction of two new surgical suites for C-sections just outside of the birthing unit. The post-surgical recovery area and patient rooms were also updated and new equipment was added. The changes allow for quicker surgical response times and more space for multiple births.

Work on the 44,000-square-foot project began in November 2022.

A new birthing unit and NICU entrance features a touchless handwashing station for everyone who enters the area, and large, lighted panels with images that evoke feelings of joy and a sense of calm.

A new birthing unit and NICU entrance features a touchless handwashing station for everyone who enters the area, and large, lighted panels with images that evoke feelings of joy and a sense of calm.

The new dual patient room includes an isolette, private space for families, and space for medical equipment and patient care. Convertible furniture allows a family member to stay overnight.

The single patient room includes an isolette, private space for families, and space for medical equipment and patient care. Convertible furniture allows a family member to stay overnight.

A family lounge with a kitchenette and private showers.

A large central nurse station and workstations outside patient rooms.

The project transformed the NICU from an open floor plan to private single and double patient rooms. Research has shown that patient outcomes improve significantly when families spend more time with their infants in private rooms. Patients’ family members also visit more often and stay longer, have more interaction with the care team, learn more about their baby and the baby’s care, and become integral to the patient’s care plan.

Each of the new patient rooms includes an isolette, private space for families, and space for medical equipment and patient care. Convertible furniture allows a family member to stay overnight.

Other features of the new NICU include:

• A large central nurse station and workstations outside patient rooms.
• Sixteen patient rooms with nursing observation windows, including three rooms for twins.
• Lighting and noise controls and webcams in each patient room.
• Two patient isolation rooms with protection from airborne contagions.
• A family lounge with a kitchenette and private showers.

A number of health benefits have been identified for babies who receive care in NICUs that have quiet, private rooms, including decreases in infections, sepsis, bronchial and pulmonary issues, stress, pain, length of stay and mortality. Additional benefits include increases in rates of breastfeeding, weight gain, nutrition, sleep, muscle tone, attention, and neurological and language development.

During the renovation project, ProHealth’s NICU nurses left a time capsule in the walls of the unit that included this message: “Please know that we built this unit with love, hope and belief in the strength of the infants that pass through our doors.”

As part of ProHealth’s system-wide approach to care, comprehensive neonatal intensive care and labor and delivery services also are provided at ProHealth Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital.

For more information about pregnancy and birthing care, visit ProHealthCare.org/Pregnancy.