What are the levels of NICUs?

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Can someone explain to me the different level systems that NICUs work on? Is it level 4 is the highest? Or reverse? And then you have special care nurseries-- are they considered the same thing as NICUs? I'm confused. Thanks!

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Level 2- special care nursery (relatively healthy newborns)

Level 3- complex and very sick babies (vented, drips, life threatening)

Level 4- critically ill, often for very specialized surgeries that a level 3 does not have the resources to handle. Such as cardiac surgery.

Level 4 is the highest acuity NICU

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Specializes in NICU.

Most special care nurseries are at a lower level. Most level IVs are found at academic centers; I would also venture to say that nearly all children's hospitals are all Level IVs.

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Specializes in L&D.

What confuses me is the hopsital I just got hired at has a level 3 special care nursery.

Is that like a level 3 NICU but they just call it a special care nursery to sound less scary to parents??

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