Deaconess Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

MultiCare Deaconess Hospital offers a Level III, 38-bed neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for babies born prematurely or with serious health problems. Care in the NICU is provided with a focus on optimal development for the baby, and on creating a supportive, low-stimulant atmosphere where premature babies thrive. Our neonatologists and perinatologists, physicians who specialize in high-risk pregnancies, are available 24 hours a day to care for these fragile newborns.

Substance withdrawal program

The NICU at MultiCare Deaconess Hospital is also home to the only Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS) unit in the Inland Northwest. MultiCare Deaconess Hospital is the first hospital in the Inland Northwest to offer the “Eat, Sleep, Console” method for the treatment of newborns with substance withdrawal.

Families are the most important treatment for the baby. MultiCare’s skilled team provides support and education on how best to care for a newborn during withdrawal. This program is right for you if:

• You are prepared to stay in the hospital with your baby for the duration of their hospital stay (typically days to more than a week)
• Someone else can take help care of my other children or pets at home
• You are on a prescribed medication that your newborn can experience withdrawal
• You are seeking treatment for substance use disorder