Maternity Unit

Special Care Nursery

Our nursery

West Gippsland Hospital has a Level 2 special care nursery (SCN) which is a low dependency nursery with a capacity for four cots; designed to care for sick and premature babies with a variety of conditions. We offer family centred care to you and your baby and encourage parents to participate in their baby’s care at every opportunity.

Premature babies less than 34 weeks gestation and extremely sick babies will need to be transferred to a tertiary centre in the Melbourne area.

Staffing

The SCN is staffed by a team of highly skilled medical and midwifery/nursing staff. We also have access to a variety of specialist staff, including lactation consultants, social workers, dietitians and physiotherapists.

Visiting hours – special care nursery

Visiting hours for parents are open. Other visitors are welcome, however should be accompanied by the parents. Only two visitors at a time are permitted to visit between the hours of 2.00pm – 4.00pm and 6.00pm – 8.00pm. We ask parents and visitors to respect all babies and their families and not touch or ask about other babies.

Anyone who is or has been unwell recently is not to visit the nursery.
All persons entering the nursery will be required to adhere to strict hand hygiene. Antiseptic hand wash is available at the nursery entrance.

Rooming-in room

There is a room available for mothers following discharge from hospital to be near their baby who requires additional care in the SCN. The use of this room is dependent on other demands within the Unit.