Special Care Nursery

Albury Wodonga Health, Wodonga Hospital's Special Care Nursery (SCN) is a 9 -14 cot, Level 2 high dependency. The Special Care Nursery has a team of highly skilled specialist medical and nursing staff who provide care for neonates and their families. The Special Care Nursery is designed to care for premature and sick infants and provides the facilities and expertise for specialised neonatal care. There are 400 neonates admitted to the unit each year.

Babies in the Special Care Nursery are admitted with a range of conditions and some are premature, and may be unwell in a variety of ways requiring specialist medical and nursing care. These babies are particularly vulnerable to becoming extremely sick with illnesses that would otherwise only cause minor illness in older children or adults, such as respiratory viruses, “gastro viruses”, etc.

There are therefore visiting restrictions to the Special Care Nursery and visitors are subject to special requirements. We ask for your understanding and assistance as we aim to give these babies the best start possible.

When visiting in the Special Care Nursery please note:

• Maximum of 2 (TWO) visitors in total at any one time. Note: this includes parents.
• Parents may visit their baby at any time, 24 hours.
• Siblings (must be supervised) and other relatives (eg: grandparents) may visit during visitation hours only.
• Any visitor, including parents, may not enter the nursery if unwell (this includes “just a sniffle...”). If unsure, please speak with a member of nursing staff before entering the nursery. Note: special arrangements may be made for parents depending on the illness.
• Visitors other than parents are required to wash their hands with the antiseptic hand wash on entering the nursery and are requested to “not touch anything” including the baby. The aim is to reduce risk of infection.

Visiting hours: 2.30 pm to 7.30 pm.

Anyone who is, or has been unwell, is not to visit the Maternity Unit or the Special Care Nursery. Phone: (02) 60517250