Golisano Children's Hospital / Tests & Procedures / For NICU Siblings

For NICU Siblings

NICU Sibling Tour (PDF)

Hi,

I am Sandy Strong. Welcome to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Golisano Children’s Hospital (NICU). This is a special place in the hospital where many people work together to help your baby get better. Let’s look around at what you may see and hear when you come to visit with your baby.
Front Desk

The front desk is where you and your family will start your visit by signing in at the secretary’s desk.
Then the secretary will let your baby’s nurse know you are here for your visit. The secretary will show you where you need to wash up before seeing your baby. Everyone who comes to visit in the NICU must be healthy.
Scrub Sink

The scrub sink is where you and your family will wash your hands and arms for 3 minutes. This washes away the germs before you see your baby. You may want to sing a song, like your ABCs, or count while you are washing. When you are finished, the nurse will come do your health screen to make sure you are healthy before you see your baby!
When the nurse is finished, she or he will take you to your baby’s room. Make sure you walk quietly - because some babies may be sleeping when you walk by their rooms.
NICU Waiting Area

The waiting area is where you and your family can take a snack break, play or read stories away from the baby’s bedside.

There is a refrigerator and a microwave for your snacks.
Your Baby’s Room
This is what your baby’s room will look like. Rest is important, it helps babies grow and get better. Remember to do your best to stay quiet when you are in the NICU so babies can rest.
NICU Beds

The beds in the NICU are different from the bed your baby will sleep in at home. These special beds help the doctors, nurses and your parents take care of your baby.

Isolette

This bed keeps babies nice and warm. The portholes are for doctors, nurses or parents to put their hands through to take care of the baby.
Warmer

This is a bed with a special light that keeps babies warm.
Crib

This is a bed that babies use when they can keep themselves warm.
People

Many people work together to help your baby while in the hospital.
Things you might see

Let’s look at some of the things that help staff and parents take care of your baby in the hospital.
Things you might see

Next we're going to talk about some of the things you may see on your baby.

- Stickers

- Oximeter

- Blood Pressure Cuff
Things you might see - Stickers

The stickers on Sandy’s body help the doctors and nurses know what is going on inside your baby’s body. They let the doctors and nurses know how fast your baby is breathing and how fast the heart is beating.
Things you might see - Oximeter

The Band-Aid like sticker on Sandy’s foot is an oximeter. It tells the doctors and nurses how much oxygen is in your baby’s blood.
Things you might see - Blood Pressure Cuff

The white band on Sandy’s arm is a blood pressure cuff. It tells the doctors and nurses how fast the blood is moving in your baby’s body.
The Monitor

All the things you just saw have wires that connect to a monitor.

The monitor is a screen that displays the information from the stickers, oximeter and blood pressure cuff for the nurses and doctors. It beeps and lights up when it has important information to share. This can happen a lot for some babies.
X-ray machine

Your baby may need to have an X-ray. This is an X-ray machine. It helps the doctors and nurses see things inside your baby’s body by taking a picture of it. It does not hurt.
If Your Baby Needs Help Breathing

Your baby may need help from a machine to breathe. It is called a ventilator. A ventilator helps your baby breathe by sending air into the lungs.
Ventilator giving air through the nose

The ventilator can give air and oxygen to your baby in different ways.

In this picture it is giving air and oxygen through the baby's nose.
Ventilator giving air through the mouth

The ventilator can give air and oxygen to your baby through the mouth too.
Nasal Cannula

When your baby is breathing on their own and only needs a little help, a nasal cannula is used to make air flow right into your baby’s nose.
Feeding Tube
Your baby may have a feeding tube to give your baby food, and sometimes medicine, to help them grow. The tube goes through the baby’s nose or mouth and into the stomach. It doesn’t hurt your baby.
IV (It sounds like "eye vee")
Your baby may need medicine or special liquids delivered through a small straw-like tube in their body instead of in their mouth or through the feeding tube. This is called an IV.
Thermometer

This is the thermometer nurses or parents use to take your baby’s temperature in the NICU.
Scale

This looks like a bed, but it is a scale. The scale tells the nurse how much your baby weighs.
Thank You for Taking the NICU Tour!

Now you know some things you might see and hear when you visit your baby. If you have any questions, just ask!
This book was revised by:

Wegmans Child Life Program at Golisano Children's Hospital

2018

For NICU Siblings

Hi,

I am Sandy Strong. Welcome to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Golisano Children’s Hospital (NICU). This is a special place in the hospital where many people work together to help your baby get better. Let’s look around at what you may see and hear when you come to visit with your baby.

Front Desk

Scrub Sink

NICU Waiting Area

The waiting area is where you and your family can take a snack break, play or read stories away from the baby’s bedside.

There is a refrigerator and a microwave for your snacks.

Your Baby’s Room

This is what your baby’s room will look like. Rest is important, it helps babies grow and get better. Remember to do your best to stay quiet when you are in the NICU so babies can rest.

NICU Beds

The beds in the NICU are different from the bed your baby will sleep in at home. These special beds help the doctors, nurses and your parents take care of your baby.

Isolette

This bed keeps babies nice and warm. The portholes are for doctors, nurses or parents to put their hands through to take care of the baby.

Warmer

This is a bed with a special light that keeps babies warm.

Crib

This is a bed that babies use when they can keep themselves warm.

People

Many people work together to help your baby while in the hospital.

Things you might see

Let’s look at some of the things that help staff and parents take care of your baby in the hospital.

Things you might see

Next we're going to talk about some of the things you may see on your baby.

- Stickers

- Oximeter

- Blood Pressure Cuff

Things you might see - Stickers

The stickers on Sandy’s body help the doctors and nurses know what is going on inside your baby’s body. They let the doctors and nurses know how fast your baby is breathing and how fast the heart is beating.

Things you might see - Oximeter

The Band-Aid like sticker on Sandy’s foot is an oximeter. It tells the doctors and nurses how much oxygen is in your baby’s blood.

Things you might see - Blood Pressure Cuff

The white band on Sandy’s arm is a blood pressure cuff. It tells the doctors and nurses how fast the blood is moving in your baby’s body.

The Monitor

All the things you just saw have wires that connect to a monitor.

The monitor is a screen that displays the information from the stickers, oximeter and blood pressure cuff for the nurses and doctors. It beeps and lights up when it has important information to share. This can happen a lot for some babies.

X-ray machine

Your baby may need to have an X-ray. This is an X-ray machine. It helps the doctors and nurses see things inside your baby’s body by taking a picture of it. It does not hurt.

If Your Baby Needs Help Breathing

Your baby may need help from a machine to breathe. It is called a ventilator. A ventilator helps your baby breathe by sending air into the lungs.

Ventilator giving air through the nose

The ventilator can give air and oxygen to your baby in different ways.

In this picture it is giving air and oxygen through the baby's nose.

Ventilator giving air through the mouth

The ventilator can give air and oxygen to your baby through the mouth too.

Nasal Cannula

When your baby is breathing on their own and only needs a little help, a nasal cannula is used to make air flow right into your baby’s nose.

Feeding Tube

Your baby may have a feeding tube to give your baby food, and sometimes medicine, to help them grow. The tube goes through the baby’s nose or mouth and into the stomach. It doesn’t hurt your baby.

IV (It sounds like "eye vee")

Your baby may need medicine or special liquids delivered through a small straw-like tube in their body instead of in their mouth or through the feeding tube. This is called an IV.

Thermometer

This is the thermometer nurses or parents use to take your baby’s temperature in the NICU.

Scale

This looks like a bed, but it is a scale. The scale tells the nurse how much your baby weighs.

Thank You for Taking the NICU Tour!

Now you know some things you might see and hear when you visit your baby. If you have any questions, just ask!

This book was revised by:

Wegmans Child Life Program at Golisano Children's Hospital

2018