Starting Monday, Jan. 4, the Neonatal ICU on the third floor of the UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital will undergo an expansion to grow the number of beds that can accommodate the hospital’s tiniest, most vulnerable patients.
Construction will be completed in phases. Phase one completion will have NICU III patients moving into the new space in fall 2016, followed by NICU II patients in spring 2017.
Service access changes:
- The current NICU third-floor corridor will close Jan. 4. Access from the Atrium elevators and stairs will be closed during construction.
- Pedestrian traffic will be re-routed during construction. Detour signage will direct patients, visitors and staff to appropriate walkways.
- People can access Labor and Delivery, the Mother/Baby Unit and the NICU from the children’s hospital/east elevators.
- All services will remain open and uninterrupted.
Architectural rendering of NICU
The renovations will result in a family-focused, comfortable environment in which medical teams can develop the leading-edge neonatal care for which they’re known. Transformation of the adjacent NICU II and NICU III units from a combined 12,632 square feet to a total of 20,844 square feet will begin in January 2016.
There will be 16 new care pods — adding eight level III beds (increasing from 22 to 30) and eight level II beds (increasing from 30 to 38) — as well as four private rooms that accommodate family members. Additionally, there will be a dedicated neonatal neuro intensive care unit section to monitor and care for infants with brain injury. The waiting area will include a sibling play area.
The unit will also have dedicated breastfeeding areas, and a warm and comforting design with a nature theme in harmony with the rest of the children’s hospital.
Find renovation updates and other projects at Blueprints for progress.