Providing the Best Start for Babies
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, or NICU, at Penn Highlands DuBois and board certified neonatologist can provide critically ill and premature newborns with the highest level of care.
About the NICU at Penn Highlands
Since August 1, 1977, our NICU has grown into a16-bed unit with dedicated nurses, nurse practitioners, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, speech pathologists and social workers, all with extra training and certifications, to work alongside Dr. Mohamed Hassan, a full-time neonatologist and medical director to provide care.
The NICU has state-of-the art technology, equipment and tools that enable us to offer the best care we can to our community’s families and their babies. “Our promise to our families is to care for their loved and precious babies with the highest respect for their precious lives in a family-centered, compassionate and caring environment, utilizing evidence-based approaches to treatments that are regularly evaluated and updated,” Dr. Hassan shares.
Visiting Hours
Parents are welcome to be with their newborn in the NICU, and the nurses are always available to help them understand and take part in their baby’s care. The visitors’ policy at the NICU is as follows:
Parents and grandparents are welcome 24 hours a day
- Limit 2 visitors to a bedside at a time
Family Time: Weekends from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM and 4:00 to 6:00 PM
- All visitors must be accompanied by a parent
- Limit 4 visitors during this time
- Siblings are welcome when accompanied by a parent
These rules are subject to change depending on unit census and/or infant status.
Special restrictions apply during flu and RSV season, when we do not allow visitors under the age of 16.
NICU Lung Care
For the littlest of patients, lung development is something that is very important. When a baby is born too early, or prematurely, lung development will need to continue outside the womb.
The NICU has several ways to help.
High Frequency Ventilation - High frequency oscillatory ventilators are a special type of mechanical ventilator operating at very high respiratory rates that can reach 900 breaths/minute using very small volumes of air that allow gentle ventilation of the tiniest and sickest babies.
Nitric Oxide Therapy - Nitric oxide gas therapy also enables a neonatologist to improve the blood flow to and oxygenation of the lungs by treating pulmonary hypertension with the delivery of this special gas.
Conventional Ventilation – Also known as positive pressure ventilation, conventional ventilation provides air for the lungs through a mask.
CPAP – Continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, provides mild air pressure by use prongs that set in the nose, called a nasal canula.
Also, our bassinets are equipped to provide moisture to encourage lung growth.
NICVIEW
At Penn Highlands Healthcare, your baby’s care is our top priority. The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Penn Highlands DuBois is the only NICU in the region, with other nearest NICUs 100 miles away or more. That’s one reason we provide our newborn patients’ families with the opportunity to watch their babies from wherever they are.
At each baby’s bed space within our NICU, a NICVIEW web camera exists to provide a secure online portal for our patients’ parents, family and friends to check on their baby in real time, 24/7. No one else may view the baby unless the parents share those credentials with them.
NICVIEW can help you develop a bond when your baby is in the hospital while you are at home or work. Night or day, access is as close as your phone or computer.
How does the NICVIEW webcam work?
Penn Highlands’ NICU staff will print out unique encrypted credentials that will allow you to access a secure video stream of your baby. “Unique” and “secure” means no one else can view your baby unless you share those credentials with them.
To access the private streaming images of your baby, go to: www.nicview.net
Enter your unique log-in username and password to connect. The first time you or a family member log in from a new computer, tablet, or smart phone, you may be asked to acknowledge a one-time consent.
What will I see?
You will be able to see your baby and even take snapshots. The camera does not transmit sound nor records video.
If the nurse or provider is caring for your baby, you may see a temporary “off-line” message. In this case, please check back in 15-30 minutes.
Remember that at Penn Highlands Healthcare, your baby’s care is our top priority. This means the child’s image may be off-line frequently. The care you see and experience when you’re in the NICU is the same care your baby receives when you are home. Newborns will move, cry and spit up; and these are all natural baby responses. Please be patient and know your child is receiving excellent care.
If you feel the camera lens needs to be repositioned, call the NICVIEW technical service number at the bottom of the viewing screen, as the camera lens can be repositioned remotely.
Please note that if your baby has a blanket over his or her incubator to protect them from bright light, your view may be darkened. If your baby is under Bili lights for phototherapy, the color may be somewhat distorted.
Support
If you have technical trouble, need assistance logging in, or the camera needs to be adjusted so you can see your baby better, NICVIEW provides technical support for family members 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please call 855-NICVIEW (855-642-8439) for all your technical needs.
Our Supporters
We thank our major donors for their continued support of our NICU.
- Ride For A New Life
Ride For A New Life is a benefit bike ride held every August to directly benefit the NICU. It is organized by the Jefferson County ABATE, American Legion Riders and the Christian Motorcycle Association, and it has donated nearly $300,000 toward equipment and education to help our tiniest patients survive. - Grady’s Decision
Grady’s Decision is a non-profit organization that offers prayers, encouragement and assistance. Grady’s Decision can assist with parking costs, food, housing near hospitals and transportation, based on a family’s need. - Brady’s Smile
Brady’s Smile is a non-profit organization was created to promote, improve, protect and sustain the health, emotional well-being and social development of children in need. For our NICU families, they bring comfort bags to patient and families, blankets, special CDs recommended by music therapists.
