Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU)
Since opening in January 2004 as the first NICU in the East Texas area, Good Shepherd’s NICU has provided quality care to meet the needs of these special babies and their families closer to home. Good Shepherd Medical Center’s Level III NICU has expanded to 31 beds to meet the special needs of high risk infants. Good Shepherd Medical Center works with other regional hospitals in accepting mother’s or babies with a need for the NICU. The NICU at Good Shepherd is part of our ongoing commitment to providing the people of this community with the same level of care that citizens of larger metropolitan areas receive.
The NICU at Good Shepherd cares for babies born as early as 24 weeks gestation. In addition, the NICU cares for full-term babies with special needs. Good Shepherd offers neonatal and high-risk maternal transfer program for expectant mothers whose babies might benefit from care in the NICU when delivered.
Breathe Easier
In addition to premature infants, the Good Shepherd NICU cares for full-term babies born with special needs. As a Level III NICU, a number of special services and treatments are offered. These include surfactant therapy, which helps to prevent infant’s lungs from collapsing, total parenteral nutrition (TPN), which gets essential nutrients to growing babies through an IV, and echocardiograms, which enable Good Shepherd to detect heart problems in infants.
The key technological advancement, however, is high-frequency ventilators that provide between 800 and 1200 breaths per minute, helping premature infants to breathe in a more gentle fashion than standard ventilators. Good Shepherd NICU also offers Nitric Oxide therapy for babies whose lungs require this special therapy.
A Delicate Touch
Of course, it takes more than high-tech equipment to care for a precious new life — it takes people. That’s why Good Shepherd nurses, respiratory therapists, dietitians, pharmacists, occupational therapist, ophthalmologists and other staff work closely together to ensure high quality care. In addition, neonatologists and neonatal nurse practitioners oversee all day-to-day operations in the NICU and are available in emergency situations.
For more information on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), please call the Good Shepherd Healthy Hotline at (903) 315-4747 or 1-888-784-4747.