Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
Phone: (732) 253-3807 | Fax: (732) 418-8073
About the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is a 37-bed unit, located in the Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital on the sixth floor. There is also a Special Care Nursery (SCN) which resides within the NICU. The NICU is open 24-hours- a-day, 7-days-a-week.
Patient Population
The NICU nursing staff care for neonates who are critically ill. These neonates need intensive monitoring due to gestational age or physical status. These neonates may have been diagnosed with prematurity, respiratory distress, transient tachypnea of the newborn, anoxic brain injury, complications associated with meconium aspiration, persistent pulmonary hypertension, hyperbilirubinemia, infectious processes, neural tube defects, congenital anomalies or other medical conditions requiring advanced level of monitoring and or intervention. The NICU has the ability to care for two neonates requiring negative pressure isolation.
Patient Care Needs
Patients in the NICU require 1:1 or 1:2 nursing care. Promoting family centered care is a top priority. The NICU beds are designated for neonates requiring:
- Oxygen therapy via nasal cannula
- Bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP)
- Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)
- Conventional mechanical ventilation
- High frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV)
- High frequency jet ventilation (HFJV)
- Use of nitric oxide (NO)
- Tracheostomies
- Chest tubes
- Hemodynamic monitoring
- Centrally and peripherally placed venous and arterial catheters (including umbilical catheters)
- Titration of vasoactive medications
- Management of the post-operative neonate
- Pharmacological paralysis
- Pain management
- Ventricular reservoirs
- Ventricular peritoneal shunts
- Management of fluid and electrolyte imbalances
- Frequent comprehensive newborn assessments.
- Cool Cap
The Special Care Nursery (SCN) neonates require 1:4 nursing care. Nursing care is provided to neonates progressing from NICU care. SCN neonates do not require mechanical ventilation, Bi-Pap or CPAP.
About Our Nurses
Nursing care is provided by professional registered nurses competent in the care of critically ill neonates. Competencies include, but are not limited to:
- TelemBasic Life Support (BLS) certification
- Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) certification
- IV certification
- Neonatal assessment
- Pain management
- Managing mechanical ventilators
- Administering and titrating medicated IV infusions
- Managing peripherally inserted central catheters
- Managing peripheral arterial and venous lines
- Managing umbilical arterial and venous catheters
- Managing neonates receiving moderate sedation
