Visitation

Parents are an essential part of a baby’s care. We welcome you to be with your baby as much as possible with a maximum of 2 people at a bedside at a time. Visitation for other visitors and siblings may be restricted or modified due to infectious outbreaks in the community. Please inquire with your nurse for specifics. Phone calls are a wonderful way to stay connected with your baby’s care team. The nursing staff will share information and answer questions about your baby. You will be given a designated privacy password that you will need to share to receive health updates about your baby.

There may be situations during your stay where we may ask you to step away from your baby’s bedside. Some of these situations include emergencies, new baby admissions, special and/or sterile procedures, and bedside rounds on patients other than your baby.

To help protect your baby and ensure correct hand over of information to the next shift of nurses, visitation and calling will be closed between the times 6:45 am – 8:00 am and 6:45 pm – 8:00 pm.

The NICU is a locked unit. You may enter and leave only if a staff member unlocks the door. Please be patient as staff may be with other patients and will unlock the door as soon as possible.

Protection from Infection

To help us protect your baby from infection and upon arrival to the NICU, please complete your 2 minute hand wash at the scrub sink and place your cell phone in the UV cleaner. All visitors must wash their hands and forearms up to the elbow using the provided scrub brush, leaving sleeves rolled up. We ask that you leave your sleeves rolled up until you are done visiting with your baby.

You should also use the antibacterial hand gel or foam after touching other surfaces or touching your cell phone prior to touching your baby.

When leaving the unit, please wash your hands or use the gel by the bedside. For more information or concerns about hand hygiene, please ask your nurse. Help us to protect you and your baby by promoting good hand hygiene.

Anyone with a cough, cold, GI symptoms, fever or signs of any illness should avoid visiting the NICU. You must be symptom free for 48 hours before visiting the unit. If you have been diagnosed with COVID/Flu/Strep throat, pink eye, etc., please reach out to your nurse for visiting details.

Cell Phones and other Handheld Electronic Devices

All cell phones or handheld electronic devices must be cleaned upon entering the NICU using the UV cleaning device. The UV cleaning device will only take a few minutes to complete.

You can use your cell phone in the NICU to take pictures of your baby. If you need to make a voice call or a FaceTime call, it will need to be done in the waiting area and away from the patient care area. Taking pictures, video or voice recording of staff or other patients is prohibited.

Lastly, for your baby’s safety please do not use your phone when holding and/or touching your baby. Babies in the NICU will need both hands to hold and support them safely.

NICVIEW Camera

The NICVIEW camera allows for live, real-time viewing of your baby. It can be accessed anywhere in the world from any computer, mobile device, or smart phone with an internet connection. The staff will work with you to receive an individualized camera login and password information.

The NICVIEW cameras do not record video and do not have sound. Cameras will be available for viewing your infant except during patient care times or procedures.

Due to the limited number of cameras, this service may not always be available. Please reach out to your NICU team to inquire about camera availability and other NICVIEW information.

Pastoral and Spiritual Care

Chaplains provide pastoral, spiritual, and emotional support to families from diverse faith traditions and cultures. They are available for supportive and spiritual care. Please ask your NICU team for more information.

Getting Ready for Home

It’s never too early to get ready for home. We offer individualized teaching for you and your baby’s needs. We have Lactation Consultants for supportive breastfeeding care as well as Certified Car Seat Technicians available by appointment to help install your seat in your vehicle. Ask your nurse about setting up an appointment.

Prior to discharge you will need to complete discharge education with your baby’s nurse. You may be asked to room in or sleep overnight as a preparation for home. This provides you with the opportunity to provide all the care for your baby with your nurse close by.

Family Rights and Responsibilities

We are committed to partnering with you and your family as active members of your baby’s care team. This partnership is family-centered and consists of dignity, respect, participation, information sharing, and collaboration. We will forge this partnership for the safest care of your baby by understanding each other’s responsibilities in the care environment. Residents, students, and other trainees will be included in this collaboration because WVU Medicine Children’s is a teaching institution.

We expect you and your family to share responsibility for creating a trusting and safe environment of care. We also encourage you and your family to participate in care and decision-making as much as you feel comfortable.

Patient and Family Responsibilities are to:

• Work with your providers and others to follow the advised medical plan and other patient/family responsibilities, and inform us if you are unable to do so.
• Respect the rights of other patients and personnel, and expect your visitors to do the same. Disrespectful or disruptive behavior toward anyone is prohibited because it does not allow for a safe, healing environment.
• Respect the property of WVU Medicine Berkeley Medical Center and other patients, families, and visitors.
• Follow the rules for visiting.