Information for Parents about the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

The NICU, and You: What to Expect
The All Children’s Hospital’s NICU is a state-of-the-art intensive care facility dedicated to providing your infant with the highest level of care. Family-centered care means that parents are encouraged to spend as much time as possible in their infant’s room. Infants in the NICU are assigned to one of three patient care teams. Every morning, your infant’s care team will complete “morning rounds” at the bedside, discussing your infant’s condition and changes to the plan of care. You are encouraged to participate in the discussion and to ask questions. If you are not available, your doctor or nurse practitioner will reach you by phone to update you and answer your questions.

Family meetings may be scheduled outside of “morning rounds” to discuss your infants progress and are periodically scheduled with other specialists who may be involved in your infant’s care.

If a NICU admission is anticipated before birth, our neonatologists are available for prenatal consultations and tours of our facility are available.

Neonatal Follow-up Clinic
All Children’s Hospital offers a Neonatal Follow-up Clinic staffed by pediatricians with extensive experience in monitoring and coordinating the special developmental needs and additional subspecialty follow-up appointments of many of our NICU patients following discharge.

Early Steps Program
Following discharge from the NICU, qualifying infants may be enrolled in Children’s Medical Services’ Early Steps Program, an early intervention program for infants at risk for developmental needs.

 The Breast Milk Depot
All Children's NICU maintains a state-of-the-art Breast Milk Depot for the storage, processing, and distribution of mother's own breast milk for each infant. In addition, donor breast milk is available for our most premature infants.

NICU Staff

• Neonatologists
  The NICU at All Children’s Hospital is staffed by 12 neonatologist specially trained in the care of newborn infants with critical conditions.
• Neonatology Fellows and Pediatric Residents
  Neonatology fellows and pediatric residents are graduate doctors who are completing their specialized training in general pediatrics and in neonatology.  They work under the guidance of the Neonatologist.
• Nurse Practitioners
  The neonatologists at All Children’s Hospital’s NICU are assisted by a number of highly trained advanced practice nurse practitioners.
• Registered Nurses
  Bedside care is provided by a dedicated staff of specialized registered nurses.
• Multidisciplinary Staff
  Many other specialized staff are available to assist with the needs of our infants, including:
  • Respiratory Therapist
  • Neonatal Nutritionist
  • Physical Therapist
  • Occupational Therapist
  • Social Services
• Subspecialty Services
  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Pediatric Neurosurgery
  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Genetics
  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Developmental Medicine