HCA Florida Palms West Hospital held a “board breaking” ceremony Tuesday, May 17 to mark the beginning of construction on its Level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
The $5.8 million expansion of the hospital’s current Level II NICU will increase bed capacity by 15, will further enhance the services of the hospital’s Women’s and Children’s Center, and is expected to bring 26 jobs to the facility.
The state-of-the-art Level III NICU will treat the most medically fragile, premature infants and full-term newborns with infections, birth defects, breathing difficulties, growth restrictions and maternal health concerns. Care will be provided for premature babies as young as 23 weeks, and the infants will be treated by board-certified neonatologists and neonatal nurse practitioners on-site around the clock.
The highly secured area will also feature state-of-the-art infant security and constant monitoring of the baby’s heart rates, respiratory rates, temperature and blood pressure.
Radiant warmers, incubators and open cribs are also featured, as well as assistance in breathing, including a ventilator or other oxygenation methods. Each room will also feature a camera system that will allow parents to continually monitor their baby day and night.
As work is being completed on the expansion, the hospital’s fourth floor will be transformed into a fully dedicated obstetrics and NICU floor, to include its birthing suites, surgical obstetrics area, and mother and baby suites for postpartum care.
“HCA Florida Palms West Hospital is committed to maternal and fetal health, and providing care for women and children through their lives,” CEO Jason Kimbrell said. “We are excited for this expansion that will also allow us to provide even more intensive care to the mothers and children in our community.”
Kimbrell chaired the March of Dimes Walk for Babies in West Palm Beach this April, and the hospital raised more than $15,000 for the organization. HCA Florida also dedicated $20,000 to the Palm Beach Walk for Babies.
The Level III NICU is expected to open in 2023. Current operations of the Level II NICU will not be affected during the construction.
