Neonatal Intensive Care

For families of our tiniest patients, we offer a number of resources to support you as your baby receives care.

• Bee Mighty  
• Madelyn’s Fund  
• Beads of Courage

Journals

NICU families will receive a journal to document their stories, jot down questions and keep track of other information. You will also receive information from the American Academy of Pediatrics, National Association of Neonatal Nurses and the March of Dimes.  

Supplemental Security Income for Premature Infants

There is information available in your welcome packet regarding Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for Premature Infants. Detailed information regarding criteria and point of contact is provided on this sheet. Please take a minute to read over the material, as it may be applicable to your baby.     

SSI can be an additional monetary resource for you and your family if your infant qualifies. The initial application must be initiated by you (the parent) as soon after birth as possible and before discharge. After reviewing the information, please contact our case manager if you have questions.  

We welcome family and loved ones as important members of your baby’s care team. The NICU is open 22 hours a day, and we encourage you to visit at any time but ask that only two people be at the bedside at any time. 

For the health and safety of all our NICU babies, we ask that visitors follow these guidelines: 

• Visitors must be at least 13 years old
• Visitors must be accompanied by one of the baby’s parents at all times
• Visitors should be healthy and without any signs or symptoms of illness
• Check in at the nurses’ station
• Grandparents can visit without parents but may not bring guests
• Ministers can visit without parents and without a code with parents’ prior approval
• No food or beverages are allowed in the NICU, but parents may have a closed water bottle at the bedside 

Parking for NICU visitors

Free parking is provided to parents. Please pick up a parking pass from the NICU secretary when you leave the unit. 

• Please park in the Presbyterian Medical Center visitor’s parking deck at the corner of Hawthorne Lane and 5th Street.
• Once you enter the hospital through the north wing lobby, take the dedicated Hemby elevator to the seventh floor and take the right after exiting the elevator. The NICU is down the hall on the left.
  • The Hemby Children's Hospital elevator runs daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
  • For access outside of these hours, take the “B” elevators to the second floor. 

Tucker’s Room

Tucker’s Room is a waiting area that is open to families visiting a child in the intensive care nursery. The NICU secretary can give you a code for access.  

Infection prevention and good hand hygiene are essential for protecting newborns and infants from infection. Visitors with symptoms of an illness or infection should avoid coming to the NICU. Symptoms of concern include a cough, runny nose, congestion or a fever. 

Guests must wash their hands before entering the unit minutes. Handwashing sinks equipped with timers are located at the front of the unit. A box for sanitizing cellphones is positioned beside the sink. Please place your phone in the box before your three-minute scrub, and then retrieve your phone before your visit. You’ll find other sanitizing boxes throughout the NICU, as well as wipes to clean your phones in between photos and touching your infant. 

If you plan to breastfeed or chestfeed your baby, talk to your bedside nurse as soon as possible so you can begin using a breast pump within 24 hours after delivery.  Your nurse will arrange for you to meet with a lactation consultant, who can explain how often to pump. The NICU has several rooms equipped with a hospital-grade pump, as well as comfortable seating and a sink for cleaning pump parts. A pump occasionally may be available for you to use at the bedside. 

Learn techniques for a successful breastfeeding experience through Novant Health Breastfeeding. Lactation consultants have been certified by an international board. Services are available during and after your stay at Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center and at other Novant Health medical centers. 

Your baby’s specialized care team may include:

Primary nurse

Your primary nurse advocates for your baby and works to make your infant’s stay and your visits more comfortable. Make sure your primary nurse understands your expectations. Most parents have preferences on parenting style and types of care they would choose for their babies. For example, you may want to discuss breastfeeding versus a bottle for feeding, the use of pacifiers or family traditions and beliefs. Your child’s condition is the primary consideration, so keep an open mind, and communicate openly and honestly with the medical team. 

You have options for working with primary nurses. Get to know the nurses and decide who you think would be a good fit for your child and your family. You can choose two to three nurses across day and night shifts. Ask those nurses if they would consider being your baby’s primary nurse, if available. There may be days or times when the primary nurses you chose are busy with other roles and will not be available to care for your infant. However, the primary nurse will check in with you and make sure things are going well. 

Neonatologist

Neonatologists specialize in the care of newborns and infants and are in the NICU 24 hours a day. A neonatology team works with the hospital staff to care for premature and critically ill newborns, as well as healthy infants in the newborn nursery. 

Neonatal nurse practitioner

The nurse practitioner will see your baby daily and works with physicians to oversee care for your baby. A neonatal nurse practitioner is in the hospital 24 hours a day.

Bedside nurse

The bedside nurse provides direct care to babies in the NICU.

Team lead

Also known as the charge nurse, the team lead supports the bedside nurse and is available to address your questions and concerns. 

Admission/delivery nurse

A delivery nurse attends high-risk deliveries and admits babies to the unit after delivery. 

Physical, speech and occupational therapists

These therapists are specially trained to work with premature and critically ill infants and their families. They assist with positioning and handling of infants to ensure comfort, body alignment, good movement patterns, sleep and self-soothing.  

Therapists also track developmental milestones and implement activities to improve motor, sensory and cognitive skills. They work in conjunction with nursing and families to develop strategies for feeding as well. The therapists will be available to discuss your infant’s needs and to make recommendations for therapy if needed after discharge. 

Respiratory therapist

The respiratory therapist works closely with the nursing team (attends high-risk deliveries) and our transport team and manages care of babies who are receiving oxygen therapy. 

Lactation consultant

If you choose to nurse your baby, a lactation consultant provides information and tips about breastfeeding while taking medication, increasing milk supply, milk storage, feeding and pumping milk and supporting breastfeeding after your hospital stay.   

Learn more about what to expect when your baby is in the NICU. 

Rounds 

The medical team’s daily visits with patients and their families start at 8 a.m. Morning rounds include a neonatologist, neonatal nurse practitioner and bedside nurse. Rounding begins in the special care area. You are welcome to be present, participate and ask questions during rounds each morning. 

Staff shifts

Nurses typically work 12-hour shifts, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., or from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Bedside reports between nurses take place before a handoff of duties from one caregiver to another. You are welcome to be present for the bedside report. Similarly, the neonatologist and nurse practitioner on duty make reports to the incoming neonatologist and nurse practitioner during rounds. The report includes details about the past 24-hour shift, as well as recommendations or changes to the plan of care. 

Going home 

Planning rounds for discharges occur on Wednesdays and include a team of specialists. The team discusses progress and milestones. As your child’s health improves, the doctors and caregivers will talk with you about requirements for discharging your baby from the hospital.  

While some babies need special equipment to go home, meeting the following milestones are signs that your child may be ready to go home: 

• Breathing without difficulty
• Feeding by mouth
• Consistently gaining weight
• Stable body temperature in an open crib