Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) - Departments & Programs - Children's National Medical CenterDepartments & Programs - Children's National Medical Center
At Children's National Medical Center,
the 54-bed quaternary-level unit (now termed Level IIIC, the highest distinction available, by the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines, is one of the region’s major neonatal referral centers for sick newborn and/or infants (ages birth to 3 months). Children’s NICU services more than 40 in-region and out-of-region hospitals.
In May 2009, Children's National opened a new, private-room NICU. To learn more about the new facility see our brochure.
Because of the medical and surgical subspecialty programs at Children’s, the NICU can accept a baby with any organ system abnormality for diagnosis and treatment from the premature population up to 3 months of age. The NICU provides care for:
Premature infants and all aspects of care for the premature infant
Premature and term infants with respiratory distress/failure
Sepsis or septic shock
Coagulation defects
Major surgical needs
Congenital heart disease
Major neurologic disorders including hydrocephalus, myelomeningocele and other disorders
Genetic and/or metabolic disorders
Renal disorders, including hydronephrosis, posterior urethral valves, renal failure, and others
Gastrointestinal disorders
Programs in Children’s NICU include:
ECMO Program, complemented by state-of-the art therapeutic programs for respiratory failure, including nitric oxide and high frequency ventilation programs, along with the newer conventional ventilation modalities
Neuroprotection program, including whole body cooling for hypoxic brain injury
Neonatal pharmaceutical monitoring program supported by a full-time neonatal pharmacist
One of the major strengths of the NICU is the family-centered approach to care. The NICU Family-Centered Task Force in conjunction with the NICU Parent Advisory Council addresses the needs of our parents while their infant is in the NICU. The NICU staff evaluates outcomes related to Children’s family-centered care efforts through unit-directed parent satisfaction questionnaires.
Linked with the highly technical and comprehensive care provided by Children’s medical team is an active research team of neonatologists, investigating treatments and disease states encountered in the newborn population. The combination of clinical and research efforts guarantees the highest level of care for newborn infants in the Washington, DC, region.
