Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Forrest Health’s Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Forrest General Hospital cares for premature, underweight, and/or sick babies requiring the highest level of care after birth.

The Forrest General Neonatal Transport Team has the great responsibility of traveling to outlying facilities in our 19-county area to bring at-risk infants back to Forrest General, which has the Pine Belt’s only family-centered NICU. To meet the special needs of our tiniest patients Forrest General has a specially designed NICU transport ambulance.

Our NICU consists of a total of 19 rooms, divided between an intensive care unit, intermediate care nursery, and isolation room for critically ill infants. The NICU is supported by neonatologists, nurse practitioners, and highly skilled nurses, respiratory therapists and acute and advanced care techs trained in neonatal care and is classified as a level III facility.

Families and Visitors - Visiting Regulations

• Only two visitors per patient are allowed in the unit at any time. During the hours of 6:30-7:30 am and 6:30-7:30 pm only banded individuals are allowed in the room. Banded individuals are allowed to stay overnight. Also, in the event of an emergency or new admission into the unit, visitation may be temporarily closed.
• Upon entering the Neonatal Unit, all visitors must show a photo ID or matching ID band.
• Parents may designate up to four individuals who are approved to visit their baby.
  • Once the list is submitted, visitors may be removed; however, visitors cannot be added or switched.
  • In the event of admissions of multiple births, the family will list the same four individuals for each baby.
  • The listed individuals can visit Monday-Sunday at 7:30 am-6:30 pm and 7:30 pm-10:00 pm. Listed individuals will not be allowed in at any other time.
• Children under the age of 18 shall not be permitted to visit the infant, unless they are a sibling and are with a parent.
  • Siblings will be allowed in for visitation every Sunday (1:00 pm-3:00 pm). Siblings must be free of any illness.
  • Sibling visitation will be limited to 30 minutes.
  • Banded individuals will be allowed to have two siblings at the bedside at one time. BANDED individuals will be expected to supervise visiting children in the NICU as well as in the NICU waiting room.
• All visitors must wash their hands and use the provided hand sanitizer upon entering the unit. They must also comply with appropriate hand-washing recommendations, when in contact with the patient or equipment.

NICU Webcams

Each NICU bed is equipped with a webcam so parents can stay connected with their newborns. The secure service is free to NICU families and can be accessed through a username and password provided on written consent. It also provides a way for loved ones that are too small or too far away to see your newest little addition. Bonding with your baby is one of the greatest joys of parenting, and it’s something our NICU parents can now experience!

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Neonatal Follow-Up Clinic

Infants who are born prematurely or are very sick at birth are at risk for delays in their early developmental skills, motor skills, physical strength, and later learning abilities. That's why we continue to monitor NICU graduates for two years through the Neonatal Follow-up Clinic — another part of our comprehensive care provided to premature infants. Forrest General is the only hospital in Mississippi to offer the Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP).