Dignity Health St. John’s Regional Medical Center to Open First All-Private-Room NICU in Ventura County

OXNARD, CA – September 8, 2020 – Dignity Health St. John’s Regional Medical Center is pleased to share that its new all private room Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) welcomed its first patient today, Tuesday, September 8. The Level III NICU features 20 all private rooms, allowing parents to stay close to their newborns receiving intensive care. The NICU is the first of its kind in Ventura County.

The new family-centered unit, located adjacent to Labor and Delivery and the Mother Infant Unit, creates a healing atmosphere for baby with the added comfort of privacy for parents to breastfeed and practice skin-to-skin bonding. Private rooms allow one of the parents to stay overnight with their newborn, while creating a more collaborative relationship between parents and care team.

“A parent never expects that their baby will need to spend time in a NICU. However, those who do will tell you that the most difficult part of the experience is leaving their baby at the hospital at the end of the day,” says Darren Lee, President and CEO of St. John’s Regional Medical Center and St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital. “Our new family-centered NICU provides parents with the space and privacy to bond with their baby while the baby receives excellent specialized care.”

The 12,492-square-foot unit exceeds the size of the hospital’s previous NICU, which included two open layout rooms that grouped patients into eight-bed pods. The new space includes two isolation rooms and rooms that adjoin can be used to accommodate twins. In addition, the unit includes a family lounge with a kitchenette and shower to ensure the comfort of the parents. 

“A family-centered approach to care has proven to improve the growth and outcome of our NICU babies,” said Annie Nguyen, interim Medical Director of the NICU at St. John’s Regional Medical Center. “We are excited to offer our NICU babies and their parents with the space to grow and bond.”

The Maternity and Birthing Center at SJRMC offers a loving start for every baby and loving care for every mom. Our private labor and delivery, and recovery suites are equipped with advanced equipment to ensure the safety of the mother and baby. 

SJRMC has obstetricians on-site 24/7, as well as highly trained labor, delivery, and pediatric nurses, to ensure that mothers and babies receive the highest level of care at all times. To learn more about the Maternity and Birthing Center at SJRMC and our expansion projects visit, dignityhealth.org/stjohnsregional.

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About Dignity Health - St. John’s Regional Medical Center:
St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard is a recipient of the Healthgrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence (2012-2015) and is rated among America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Care for five consecutive years. St. John’s Regional Medical Center’s cardiac program offers effective treatment for heart disease as a STEMI Receiving Center, world-class clinical research trials, a certified primary stroke center, and recently became the first hospital in California to offer the world’s smallest leadless pacemaker for patients with bradycardia – slow heart rate. In addition, St. John’s was the first and only hospital in Ventura County to perform cryoablation, an innovative procedure to treat atrial fibrillation – a common heart rhythm disorder. St. John’s Cancer Program is accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and offers a lung cancer program recognized as the only Center of Excellence in Ventura County. The 16-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St. John’s provides family centered care for newborns requiring highly specialized attention. Learn more about other classes, events and support groups at DignityHealth.org/StJohnsRegional/Classes-and-Events