NICU levels

brissie · Jul 12, 2007

As far as I know there are no Level IV NICUs. I work in a Level III NICU and we don't refer babies anywhere. Maybe some hospital systems are using the term Level IV NICU to denote a NICU that specializes in certain areas such as neonatal dialysis or neonatal cardiac surgeries that some Level III NICUs I know off don't provide. Just a guess though.

Finallyat40 · Jul 12, 2007

I think that the division between III and IV is whether they do ECMO or not. I'm not aware of a Level V.....doesn't mean there isn't one though.

Jamie

SteveNNP, MSN, NP · Jul 13, 2007

There are several threads on this topic below in the "similar threads" box....

I most frequently hear of units referring to themselves as level 3a's (no ECMO or complicated surgeries, hearts) and level 3b's, (Everything..) Sometimes units call themselves Level IV's, but there's really no standard across the country for level IV 's.

rn/writer, RN · Jul 13, 2007

Level IV used to be the euphemism for heaven--a unit that went beyond what any earthly NICU could provide.

Now, the few times I've heard it, the unit did ECMO. Even our excellent Level III NICU doesn't do ECMO.

lovemyjob · Jul 14, 2007

As another poster stated, there is no IV. There are different levels withing the level III. I work in a level III, we do ecmo, heart sugeries, peritoneal dyalisis and pretty much everything but transplants.

IMHO, the levels should be much more specific. There is another hospital in our city that brags that they are a level III...... they dont do iNO, any surgery except PDA ligations, nor do they have the different ancillary departments like we do (PT, OT, child life, speech therapy, etc.) However, when people say we are a level three, they think that we are just alike, that both hospitals can do the same thing. I also think there should be another level given when a NICU does transplants.

Just my opinion!