BariatricsWeight Loss Surgery
Cancer Sletten Cancer Institute
Heart Heart & Vascular Institute
Home Health Spectrum Home Health Services
Orthopedics Orthopedic Center of Montana
Seniors Senior Services
Specialties Medical Specialties
Med Spa Medical Spa & Vein Center
Radiology Medical Imaging
Rehab Rehabilitation Services
Women & ChildrenWomen's & Children's Services

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Benefis Hospitals is the home to Montana's most advanced Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Our NICU provides specialized care for premature and other special needs infants. Benefis NICU offers the most advanced technology, which means that your premature or sick newborn has a much better chance to survive and thrive.

Backed by state-of-the-art equipment, the highly experienced staff works as a team to provide expert care. Neonatologists work closely with Neonatal Nurse Practitioners, registered nurses and respiratory therapists, all of whom have specialized training to provide special attention to these extra-special infants. Nurses in NICU have not only years of experience in caring for special needs infants, but also years of experience on the same care-giving team.

Benefis employs the state's only Neonatal Nurse Practitioners (NNP). A NNP is a registered nurse with clinical expertise in neonatal nursing, with advanced training in the management of ill newborns. When a critically ill newborn is admitted to the NICU, in addition to the Neonatologists and NNPs, the baby and their family will have available the expertise of:

  • Registered Nurses and Registered Respiratory Therapists with extensive training in the care of small and sick infants.
  • Speech Language Pathologists who assist with oral motor development and evaluation to facilitate feeding.
  • Physical Therapists who provide motor skills evaluation.
  • Clinical Social Workers and Nurse Case Managers who assure that family resource needs are identified early on so that discharge is successful.
  • Chaplains who are available to provide spiritual support for the family.

Family-centered care is the heart of our what we do. The NICU facilities on the 6th floor of Benefis East Campus South Tower provides:

  • 17 private rooms, including 2 twin/1 triplet rooms.
  • Private space for baby and family, with twin bed in the patient room.
  • Parent lounge with kitchen, washer/dryer, TV, computer access, educational materials.
  • Ongoing availability of state-of-the-art medical equipment.
  • Secure, safe unit that will protect our most vulnerable patients.

After you and your baby get to go home, Benefis offers follow-up services through the High Risk Infant Screening Clinic to ensure that important developmental milestones are met appropriately. Comprehensive screening evaluations are performed by our entire NICU team, and if concerns are identified, that infant's physician is notified and referrals to appropriate services are made in a timely manner.

Because we consider you a part of our NICU family, please do not hesitate to give us a call at 406.731.8720 if there is anything we can do to help you.