Equipment and care - What to expect in level 3
A level 3 nursery caters for babies who are very unwell or very premature. They usually need constant medical attention and generally assistance to breathe artificially with machines. Babies who spend time in a level 3 nursery will often have many wires and tubes attached to them with monitors that can continually beep and flash around the baby, tracking their well being.
When parents' enter this nursery it can be an overwhelming experience. They can feel frightened or upset when they see their newborn baby looking vulnerable in this hi tech situation. Most will more often than not, initially focus on their new baby, and then slowly become aware of the extensive equipment surrounding and attached to their baby.
Level 3 nurseries can have similar equipment to that described in the level 2 nursery but may also include:
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The baby lying on an 'open bed', with no covering under a specially regulated overhead heater. |
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Oxygen being administered through tubes in the baby's nose or mouth, attached to and a ventilator machine, assisting the baby to breathe artificially. |
The additional equipment is very sophisticated and staff are specially trained to work in this area of the nursery. Again, it can be frightening and upsetting to see your baby lying ill, attached to tubes and wires. The staff will try to explain as much as they can while they work with the baby. At times they can ask parents to stand aside a little, or leave the room for short periods, until procedures are carried out or the baby is relatively stabilised.
Always ask what is happening and why interventions are needed if you do not understand or have forgotten what you were told.