What is a Level IIIB Neonatal NICU?
Our NICU is certified by California Children’s Services (CCS) as a Community Level NICU and also meets the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) definition of a Level IIIB NICU. This is a designation only given to hospitals that have the expertise to care for the most complicated births; at risk newborns including as early as 23-28 weeks gestation, birth weights of 500-1,000 grams (one to two lbs.) birth weight; and/or other neonates with serious illnesses who require critical or intermediate level care.
According to the AAP and CCS, Level III designated NICUs are subdivided into three levels (A, B and C) differentiated by the capability to provide advanced medical and surgical care. A level IIIC is the most advanced and is usually located at children’s or university hospitals.
The difference between a level IIIB and IIIC NICU is the hospitals’ capabilities to conduct serious congenital cardiac malformations requiring bypass surgery and ECMO treatment (Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is essentially a heart-lung bypass machine that can be used to support certain critically ill neonates).
A Level IIIB/Community Level Neonatal ICU is able to:
- Provide comprehensive care for all at risk newborns including those less than 28-weeks gestation (as low as 23 weeks) and those with birth weights less than 1,000 grams (1 to just over 2 lbs) birth weight.
- Provide advanced respiratory support such as CPAP, conventional ventilation and high-frequency ventilation. Inhaled nitric oxide is also available when needed.
- Perform surgical procedures on neonates.
- Provide advanced imaging support on an urgent basis, including CT, MRI, ultrasound, nuclear medicine and echocardiography.
Northridge Hospital NICU Landmark Events
- First NICU in the Valley to utilize surfactant therapy, a lifesaving medication for infants born with immature lungs (Respiratory Distress Syndrome).
- First NICU in the Valley to utilize transcutaneous oxygen saturation monitoring
(non-invasive monitoring of the babies’ oxygen levels in the blood).
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Devised the Meconium Aspirator suction device used for suctioning meconium from the airway of high-risk infants. It was featured in the American Academy of Pediatrics Newborn Resuscitation Program text and is now used nationwide.
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First NICU in the Valley to join the Vermont Oxford Network, an international program whose goal is to analyze NICU patient data and provide feedback for improvement.
- The only NICU in the Valley to provide a negative pressure incubator (prior to the development of high frequency oscillatory ventilation).
- Two of our Neonatologists trained under the pioneer of neonatal health Louis Gluck, MD, at UCSD. He opened the very first NICU in the United States at Yale University.
- The first community hospital in the Valley to have had a Neonatology Fellowship rotation as part of the UCLA Neonatology Fellowship training program.
- Affiliated with the UCLA Family Practice Residency teaching program.
