Intermediate Care Nursery
The birth of a new baby is an exciting and wonderful time that you, as parents, have spent many months contemplating and dreaming of. If your baby should need extra support after birth, rest assured that the skilled staff in our Intermediate Nursery (IMN) can provide the best care for your baby.
We have a Pediatrician in the hospital at all times, who specializes in the care of ill newborns, available to attend the delivery and provide immediate care for your baby in the IMN. If it seems that your baby may be born earlier than your due date, the Pediatrician will consult with you prior to delivery as to what to expect.
The RNs in the IMN are specially trained in the care of babies that may need more than ordinary transitional care after birth. They are trained in neonatal emergency responsiveness and recognize those babies that may need extra attention after delivery. If your baby is born early, she/he may need extra attention with feeding and temperature control. If your baby is born emergently, earlier than 34 weeks, she/he will most likely be transported to the tertiary (higher level of care) care facility.
At birth, if for any reason your baby’s status should require a higher level of care than we can provide, we facilitate immediate transfer to our tertiary care partners at Kaiser Permanente in San Francisco or Oakland.
We work closely with an entire team of care experts, from the MDs and RNs to Respiratory Therapists, Social Workers, and the Discharge Coordinator, to ensure a smooth transition from birth to the journey home. The use of our Electronic Medical Record (EMR) ensures the communication is clear between all care providers. You will also find a sticky-note icon on the iPad to write questions to the health care providers.
If you have not chosen a Pediatrician for your baby’s care before delivery, we can provide you with a print-out of the list of open practices. You can also search for pediatrician online.
Our entire Maternal Child department is focused on delivering Family Centered Care; we encourage you to participate in the care of your baby, round the clock. While we do allow parents into the IMN at any time to be with their baby, any other visitors must be accompanied by a parent. We ask that visitors be limited. We request only two visitors to a baby’s bedside at any time, as the RNs must be able to respond to the baby’s needs safely and quickly, within a small space.
A secure unit, our babies are banded with a Hugs System ID tag to keep them safe and under the watch of our Security team. Babies cannot leave the unit unless accompanied by a parent or RN; our security system ensures this safety.
Your comfort with the care provided for your baby is our utmost concern. If, at any time, you have questions, the Nurse Managers make themselves available for your consultation, on a daily basis. We are happy you chose Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa for your birth experience and want it to be the very best.