Highly-specialized care for newborns
ROSEVILLE, Calif. – An expanded neonatal intensive care unit at Kaiser Permanente Roseville will increase access to highly-specialized care for newborns in a comforting environment that supports parents as they bond with their new babies.
A virtual tour of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) expansion was live-streamed on Twitter on Wednesday during a ribbon-cutting ceremony inside the Women and Children's Center.
"…space to care for thousands of newborns needing a little extra care to get started in life."
Richard Florio, MD, physician in chief
"As a Level III NICU, we are responsible for caring for at-risk newborns not only from this area and around Sacramento, but also from neighboring communities," said Kim Menzel, RN, senior vice president and area manager for Kaiser Permanente Roseville. "I helped lead women and children's services over the years as a nursing leader, so I have a special place in my heart for the care that is provided here and I am pleased that we are able to have this new and larger space."
More than 6,000 babies are born every year at Kaiser Permanente Roseville.
Expansion
The 6,000-sq-ft NICU expansion includes seven new private rooms, two isolation rooms, and a triple room with three bassinets for families with multiples.
The NICU now has 60 patient beds – an increase from the 48 beds it had when it opened 12 years ago.
The centralized nurses' station has visibility to each of the private rooms, and there is a centralized medication preparation and formula room so our care teams can provide the best care possible.
"Since we first opened our NICU twelve years ago, our incredible care team of physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, and other specialists have used our 48-bed space to care for thousands of newborns needing a little extra care to get started in life," said Richard Florio, MD, physician in chief for Kaiser Permanente Roseville. "But as our community has grown, so has the need for NICU space which we will now have, thanks to this expansion."
In 2020 alone, nearly 900 babies graduated from the NICU.
"This is a tremendous asset for our community, especially given the growing number of young families who are choosing to make Roseville their home. On behalf of the City of Roseville, I want to thank Kaiser Permanente for opening this additional space and providing excellent care for our city."
Krista Bernasconi, Roseville Mayor