NICU Omnibed made possible through generous philanthropic gift

Marquette General’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) has an exciting new addition because of the generous philanthropic support of an anonymous donor.

Tiffany Bennett, left, watches her newborn, Bodi, while RN Karen Gimse monitors the baby in the new Giraffe Omnibed in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Marquette General Hospital. The new Omnibed, valued at $29,000, was made possible through a philanthropic gift from an anonymous donor. The new Giraffe Omnibed is a full-featured radiant warmer and incubator in one compact, mobile microenvironment.


The new Giraffe Omnibed Incubator provides premature babies the latest in technology and innovative design. The Omnibed is a combination isolette/open warmer bed that allows hands-on care of the premature baby while keeping the baby warm.

Cindy Ampe, nurse manager of the NICU and Family Birthing Center at Marquette General said: “The Giraffe Omnibed Incubator is the premier incubator being used by all Neonatal Intensive Care Units for providing care to our tiny, very low birth weight premature babies.”

“Automatically, with a flick of a button, it closes back up into an enclosed isolette,” she added. “In the past, we had to move the baby out of his/her isolette for many procedures, making it difficult to keep the baby warm, or we had to physically move the baby from his/her isolette to an open stabilette and then back following the procedure. These tiny babies are very fragile and cannot tolerate changes in their environment, so the Omnibed is a wonderful improvement in caring for these tiny precious ones.”

The Omnibed, valued at more than $29,000, allows nurses to rotate the mattress 360 degrees for complete access and proper positioning during procedures without disturbing the infant. In addition, it offers an easy access control panel, an extra deep drawer with sliding tray, and a large hood design for unobstructed visibility from three sides.

Connie Koutouzos, Program Director of the Women’s and Children’s Center, added the Omnibed “will provide our most high-risk babies a gentle and supportive environment of care. This technology was a top priority in our strategic planning for capital purchases.”

The bed’s state-of-the-art capabilities, including greater visibility, easy-to-use system controls and reliable thermal performance, help our caregivers. The little newborns are afforded increased comfort and appropriate stimulation. Parents and grandparents receive peace of mind that their babies have access to the finest available NICU care in the region.

Since its introduction, the Giraffe OmniBed has been widely accepted as a major advancement in the care of critically ill infants. Approximately 125 hospitals throughout the world — including Marquette General — have invested in Omnibeds.