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NICU - Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
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It's our compassion and capabilities that make us different
Sick newborns or very premature infants and babies that require close observation are admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). GBMC is home to 22 beds across the NICU & Special Care Nursery (SCN) and provides Level III tertiary newborn services. The NICU team provides complex and compassionate medical and general pediatric surgical care for newborns of all birth weights and gestational ages from birth to discharge.
The GBMC NICU team provide treatment for a full range of neonatal medical problems. Our caring staff includes:
- Full-time neonatologists
- Experienced pediatricians
- Neonatal nurse practitioners
- Skilled physician assistants
- Skilled nurses and nursing support techs
- Physical & occupational therapists
- Child life specialist
- Dietician
- Social workers
- Unit secretaries
- Lactation nurses
- Respiratory therapists
Our Physicians
NICU/NBN Advanced Practitioners
Nicole Little, MSN, NNP-BC
Team Lead
Candice Naugle, MMS, PA-C
Physician Assistant
Wayne Bowerman, MMS, PA-C
Physician Assistant
Louise Hanssen, DNP, CPNP-AC
Nurse Practitioner
Joshlyn Davenport, MSN, NNP-BC
Nurse Practitioner
Jordan Myers, MSN, NNP-BC
Nurse Practitioner
Laura Bumba, MSN, NNP-BC
Nurse Practitioner
Laura Crampton, DNP, NNP-BC
Nurse Practitioner
Jennifer Bjoro, MSN, NNP-BC
Nurse Practitioner
Newborn Nursery Advance Practitioners
Jennifer Ryu, MSN, CPNP-PC
Newborn Nursery Advance Practitioner
Our Services
We are designated as a Level III NICU by the State of Maryland based on our ability to provide increasingly complex care. The staff is also skilled in providing pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative care as needed for many general pediatric surgical conditions. As a Level III provider of newborn services, we have the capabilities to deliver:
- Comprehensive care for all extremely low birth weight infants regardless of gestational age or birth weight
- Advanced respiratory support such as high-frequency ventilation for as long as required
- Quick access to a full range of pediatric medical subspecialists
- Advanced imaging, with interpretation on an urgent basis, including computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and echocardiography
- Pediatric surgical specialists and pediatric anesthesiologists to perform major surgery
- State-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment technology
The NICU at GBMC is a special place where highly-trained doctors and other healthcare professionals give your baby around-the-clock care. Our goal is the same as yours – to help your baby grow and become healthy enough to go home.
The Preemie Who Became Known as 'Rocky'
"On March 28, 2014, my wife, Heather, entered GBMC in full labor at 23 weeks and 1 day into her pregnancy. She was told the baby would have less than a 35 percent chance of survival. He was born weighing 1 pound, 15 ounces and was sent to the NICU — where he was placed on a ventilator and into an incubator — immediately after birth."
For Parents and Family
Parents are encouraged to be active participants in their infants care and spend time with their infant and at the bedside. Spending time at the bedside is an excellent opportunity to ask questions of the staff, practice the skills for good health, and learn and bond with your infant.
Our Discharge Coordinator, a NICU nurse, helps to facilitate a baby's transition from hospital to home. Her duties include:
- Obtaining insurance approval for home medications, equipment and skilled care, allowing for a smooth transition.
- Assisting families with setting up outpatient specialist visits including occupational and physical therapy, neurodevelopmental follow up and other visits as needed.
- Answering any last minute questions before discharge.
FAQ
What is a Level III NICU?
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a Level III NICU is able to:
- Provide comprehensive care for infants less than 28 weeks gestation and less then 1,000 grams (approximately 2 pounds) birth weight
- Provide advanced respiratory support, such as high-frequency ventilation
- Perform major surgical procedures on neonates (excluding ECMO and repair of complex congenital heart defects requiring cardiopulmonary bypass)
- Provide prompt, onsite access to a full-range of pediatric subspecialty consultants as well as pediatric surgical and anesthesia specialists
- Provide advanced imaging support on an urgent basis including CT, MRI, and echocardiography
How long will my baby be in the NICU?
The length of stay in the NICU varies and is based upon your baby’s unique combination of age, diagnosis, and clinical progression. The requirements for discharge are based on weight gain, eating food by mouth, and maintaining temperature in an open crib.
When can I hold my baby?
Holding your baby is beneficial to both you and your baby. Speak with your nurse and medical team so we can assist you with holding your infant to keep them safe.
When can I and my family visit?
Banded caregivers are welcome 24/7 as core members of the care team. Ask your care team about current visitation policies. These are in place to promote the safety and security of all of our patients.
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