As I pointed out before I can only go on my own experiences with KEMH in Perth, in which NICU was 1 nurse to two babies (there were a couple of babies that came through which needed more intense care and they were assigned one nurse only - there are always exceptions). The HDU in KEMH had babies on oxygen (or not) they had to be off the ventilator AND/OR CPAP before they were moved from NICU to SCN or HDU (again there were some exceptions to this).

NICU had 2 main parts, the main room and an overflow which was in the back of SCN. SCN had 3 areas, the main room (where they went after NICU) and then an 'almost home' room which also had an overflow. The 'almost home' part of the SCN was 1 nurse to 5-6 babies, we were in a room with about 12-14 babies and there was often only 2 nurses and the co-ordinator. Again this was back in June 2009 and they have done renovations since and I have not been back.

It really is worth sussing out the hospital you are going to, because in my experience from talking to other NICU mums, each and every NICU is different. Even some of the equipment was slightly different.