Two new pieces of equipment are being added to Saskatoon’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Brynn Boback-Lane , President and CEO of the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation says the NICU will be getting a ventilator and an ultrasound system and console. The ultrasound will be vital in diagnosing a newborn’s lung function faster and more accurately. The ventilator brings high-grade technology for on-the-go emergency care for babies that need respiratory support. The additions were made possible thanks to two community organizations: Bloom in support of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and The Timken Foundation of Canton.

The new NICU is set to open late next year. It will be located on the top floor of the new Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital. It will be a 48 bed unit allowing families to stay together in one private room. Families will also have a dedicated sleep area in which to rest, away from the baby’s room while remaining close by.