Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
When your child is in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), the flurry of activity can be overwhelming. Rest assured that our 35-bed, state-of-the-art facility is the best place for your baby to be if he or she needs specialized care. Our NICU at the Weiler Division features:
- Comprehensive neonatal specialty and subspecialty care
- Brain and whole-body cooling therapy for perinatal asphyxia
- Advanced neonatal respiratory care, including continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), conventional ventilation, high frequency ventilation, and/or inhaled nitric oxide therapy
- Bedside surgical closure of a patent ductus arteriosus and Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) for neonatal respiratory failure
- Laser treatment and cryosurgery for retinopathy of prematurity
- Evaluation of infants with apnea and other breathing disorders
- 24-hour in-hospital care by a neonatology fellow and/or attending neonatologist
- Family centered care:
- A Family Advisory Council made up of parents and family members with prior experience in this NICU partners with current NICU leadership and staff to enhance the NICU environment
- We strive to improve communication and quality as a bridge between families and health care providers by offering guidance, education and perspective
- Guiding Principles to Patient and Family-Centered Care are providing care to your baby with dignity and respect; information sharing; participation and collaboration
- Developmental care:
- The NICU team collaborates with families to plan and implement developmental care in order to minimize the effects of light and noise and help the baby handle the stress associated with being sick or premature.
- We teach parents skin-to-skin (Kangaroo) care and proper handling to help their baby's adjustment and development.
- Specialized neonatal nutritional support, feeding evaluations and feeding therapy
- Registered dietitians who work closely with the medical team to assure babies receive the best nutrition throughout their hospital stay
- Specially trained speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists with expertise in evaluating and treatment feeding problems in preterm and sick babies
Parent Support Group Meetings
Having a baby in the NICU can be a harrowing experience-but you aren't alone. The fear and bewilderment you may feel is completely normal. Meet other parents of NICU infants in our weekly support group meetings, conducted by NICU social work and nursing staff. Here, parents have the opportunity to meet, talk, and share information and support. They also give feedback to our NICU staff-so we can serve you better. Our parent support program also includes parent-to-parent support from families of babies who were previously in the NICU. We provide individualized materials, including books, videotapes, and more, so you can learn about your little one's condition.
Learn more about the extended NICU team here.