Photo via Kaweah Delta
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The littlest patients at Kaweah Delta Medical Center in Visalia were moved into a new neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at the hospital this week, making way for an intermediate ICU that will sit empty until needed for a possible COVID-19 surge.
The new 15,000 square-foot NICU is located on the sixth floor of the hospital’s Acequia Wing, offering five times the square footage of the previous NICU, giving patients — some born at just one and two pounds — their own private, single-family rooms. The number of beds goes from 15 to 23.
Tracie Plunkett, director of maternal child health, stated: “We are so excited for our mothers and their babies to be able to experience the privacy of their own room as they bond with each other.”
A March executive order from Gov. Gavin Newsom helping ensure hospital have enough beds during the COVID-19 pandemic suspends normal licensing requirements to open new areas to patients. Kaweah Delta was to open its fifth and sixth floors this spring, and received approval to open last week from the Office of State Health and Planning Development.
Kaweah Delta’s NICU, which is staffed by physicians from Valley Children’s Medical Group, was previously located in the Mineral King Wing, a building that opened in 1969. The unit itself was in the center of the building and was windowless. But in the new unit, babies and their moms can see the light of day. Each room features large windows in addition to soft lighting, personal refrigerators for mother’s milk or formula and a sofa bed.
In celebration of the NICU’s opening, new moms received balloon bouquets and a celebration lunch.
Marlena Talamantez’ son Asher John, who was 1 pound and 13 ounces when he was born at 26 weeks, was the first baby to make the move into the new NICU. “It’s amazing. It feels so comfortable in here and it’s so lit up,” said Talamantez, who expects her son to be in the NICU until June 10 — his due date — or longer. “All of the light here gives me hope.”
Xenora Gonzalez’s daughter Xayleigh, who was born at 36 weeks, was the second baby to move into the NICU. Gonzalez walked beside her daughter as they moved her crib. “She enjoyed it, seeing sunlight for the first time,” said Gonzalez, who noted that she will appreciate the privacy when it comes time to pump breast milk. “I am already more comfortable sitting down with the baby and you could tell that she enjoyed it too, because these chairs rock.”
Kaweah Delta’s fifth floor is now available to serve as an intermediate intensive care unit, but will sit empty until it is needed. With the additional beds, Kaweah Delta now has 452 beds available for acute care at its downtown Visalia campus.