SPECIAL CARE NURSERY
Special Care Nursery Overview
While we always expect the birth of a baby to be without
complications, sometimes the unexpected happens. For parents facing
this situation, it is comforting to know that Beverly Hospital has
a Level II Special Care Nursery (SCN).
The babies in our SCN may be premature, twins or triplets
needing a little extra time to grow strong. Or, there may be a
medical need that requires special monitoring and continuous
observations. In very special circumstances, a baby born here is
transferred to Boston Children's Hospital for more specialized
care. Once stabilized, the baby can then be transferred back to our
SCN for care until ready for discharge. At other times, a baby born
at one of the larger hospitals in Boston can also be transferred to
our SCN once they are stabilized for continued care until they are
ready to go home. This allows parents and family to be part of the
care giving without adding the strain of a long commute.
Many babies in our SCN are connected to monitors, intravenous
pumps, oxygen and other medical equipment. It is frightening for
parents to have their baby in a unit with so much state-of-the-art
technology. Our staff is highly trained in the care of babies
during medical emergencies and in the use of these advanced
technologies. They are also very concerned about the parents' peace
of mind. Our nurses encourage parental involvement in the care
provided in the SCN and encourage questions about the specialized
care provided in this unit.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)
Another service of our SCN is CPAP, a procedure that provides
assistance to premature infants with respiratory problems. Special
approval has been granted to our nursery because we have 24 hour
coverage by board certified anesthesiologists and highly skilled
nurses. CPAP approval means Beverly Hospital has the most advanced
technology and comprehensive newborn care available on the North
Shore.
Our goal is to keep newborns as close to home as possible. In
the event that a baby is seriously ill, the Children's Hospital
Transport Team comes to Beverly Hospital to transport the baby to
Boston. Once stabilized, the baby can be transferred back to
Beverly Hospital until they are well enough to go home.
Staying Close, Staying Involved
We encourage parents to spend as much time as possible with
their baby during their stay in the SCN. Overnight accommodations
in the nursery are available for parents who choose to stay. For
breastfeeding moms, we provide an electric breast pump for times
when a baby is unable to nurse or the mother is not in the
hospital. Each newborn bay has its own refrigerator for storing
breast milk.
Kangaroo Care
Touching your baby is one of the most important aspects of care
in the SCN. Our staff assists parents with Kangaroo Care. The baby
is placed directly on the skin on the parent's chest. This contact,
along with stroking and talking, has been proven to be highly
beneficial to growth and development in newborns.
Going Home
Through encouragement and teaching, our SCN staff helps parents
develop the skills and knowledge to feel confident with the care of
their infant by the time the baby goes home. Our nurses instruct
parents in Infant CPR, medication administration, and infant
feeding and bathing. We are available 24 hours a day to
answer questions.
We offer daily breastfeeding and infant care classes. For
mothers needing assistance with lactation or breast pump
instruction or rental, our certified lactation consultants are
available in the hospital seven days a week. These consultants are
available to work with breastfeeding mothers in the hospital and
after the baby goes home.
