LUTZ, Fla. (WFTS) — St. Joseph's Hospital-North in Lutz is opening a state-of-the-art Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) on July 15.
“For the last 15 years, since the hospital opened, we have welcomed thousands of new babies into this world without a NICU,” said Sarah Dodds, President of St. Joseph's Hospital North. “The need for NICU beds has gone up, and we want to continue allowing our local moms the ability to deliver here with the added comfort of a NICU.”
Watch full report from Jada Williams
The new facility encompasses 5,431 square feet and includes eight beds. What sets it apart from other NICU's is its couplet care model.
This Level II NICU will include two private couplet care rooms, each measuring 525 square feet.
The couplet care model is a departure from the traditional NICU framework, where newborns often require separation from their mothers immediately after birth. Under this new approach, NICU babies and their mothers will be able to stay together during their hospital stay.
"When a baby needs to go to the NICU, that often means they have to be separated from mom right from the beginning. In this new model, we will allow NICU baby and mom to stay together in the same room from the time of delivery," Dodds explained.
Dr. Megan Tirone, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Women's Health at BayCare Health System, highlighted the challenges of implementing such a model. Morton Plant in Clearwater, a sister hospital to St. Joseph's Hospital North, just opened its couplet care rooms earlier in the summer. The two hospitals are the only ones in Tampa Bay to offer that service.
"Having a couplet room requires almost double the staff, cross-training, and the right technology to monitor both patients and facilitate a seamless transition to a higher level of care if needed," she explained. “It takes a large amount of space, staffing, technology, and training to make this magic happen.”
The hospital's push to introduce couplet care comes amid changing demographic trends in childbirth. While the birth rate in the United States has been declining, the percentage of high-risk pregnancies has increased.
“Some of that is because we're waiting longer in life to have children. There are also more medical conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, affecting our maternal population, leading to babies being born sicker," Dr. Tirone noted.
Expectant mother Jillion McElderry is scheduled to give birth one day after the NICU opens. While she hopes her baby boy won't need a NICU stay, she's comforted knowing she won't have to leave his side if he does.
“As a first-time mom, it puts all the comfort in my mind that this is available. I am able to monitor my baby without missing any updates when the doctors round.” McElderry said. “I think just being able to be with your baby from the start is a comfort in its own that is not offered at all until now."
The NICU will provide specialized, round-the-clock care for infants born prematurely, underweight, or with special health needs such as IVs or respiratory therapies. Staffed by a team of neonatologists, neonatal nurse practitioners, and experienced nurses, the NICU will seamlessly supplement St. Joseph’s existing labor and delivery and Mom & Baby maternity services.
In addition to the couplet care rooms, the NICU will feature private patient rooms, each measuring 280 square feet. These rooms are equipped with sleeping accommodations, bathrooms, and showers, allowing parents or loved ones to stay overnight with their baby.
St. Joseph’s Hospital-North’s NICU is strategically located adjacent to the Mom & Baby unit, converting space previously designated for adult medical and surgical patients. The new NICU can stabilize a baby's condition and facilitate transport to the Level IV NICU at Tampa’s St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital if a higher level of care is needed.
St. Joseph’s Hospital-North will be BayCare’s sixth NICU, joining facilities at Mease Countryside, Morton Plant, St. Joseph’s Hospital-South, and Winter Haven Women’s Hospital. Moreover, Plant City’s South Florida Baptist Hospital is on track to add a Level II NICU later this year, further expanding BayCare’s continuum of care from infancy to adolescence.
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