Services Maternity & Newborn Maternity and Newborn Services and Programs Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Newborn babies who need intensive medical attention are often admitted into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The UMC NICU combines technology and trained healthcare professionals to provide specialized care for our patients.

Caring for the tiniest patients can sometimes be the most daunting of tasks, this requires precise skills, complex technology, specialized facilities, and caregivers with a special gift.

UMC’s NICU facilities include a 41-bed Level IV Nursery, a neonatal air transport team, pre-discharge “Rooming In” services/training, and infant CPR training.

UMC is a Level IV NICU

UMC was awarded the NICU Level IV Designation, the highest designation for NICUs available in Texas. This means we provide the highest level of, and the most acute, care to neonatal patients. For new parents, it is the assurance that your baby is in very good hands.

Level IV Designation

The staff at UMC’s NICU

The members of the NICU team work tightly with parents to develop a plan of care for all newborns. The following are some of the specially trained healthcare professionals who will care for your baby: 

  • A neonatologist with training in the care of sick and premature babies
  • Sub-specialty pediatric physicians
  • Neonatal Nurse Practitioners
  • Neonatal nurses
  • Respiratory therapists
  • Dietitians
  • Lactation counselors
  • Occupational therapists
  • Speech language pathologists
  • Pharmacists
  • Social workers
  • Case Managers
  • Hospital chaplains

Physicians are available in the hospital 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This is a benefit of being associated with the Texas Tech University Health Science Center. 

Technology at UMC’s NICU

The NICU has 40 beds that consist of three progressive nurseries with cutting-edge intensive care technology designed specifically for infants. The NICU at UMC is a level IV intensive care unit, the highest level attainable.

Additional features of UMC’s NICU:

  • Two “Rooming In” Rooms within the unit to simulate an at-home experience for the whole family.
  • A developmentally advanced environment which incorporates noise-dampening advances of sound-absorbing ceiling tiles, cushioned flooring and ambient lighting.
  • Enhanced computerized medical monitoring systems with full electronic medical record integration.
  • The University Medical Center NICU team is happy to offer the AngelEye Health System. This technology allows you to see your child, receive communication updates, and view educational materials on any device with an internet connection. For more information about the AngelEye Health System, please see the attachment HERE.

Center for Perinatal Medicine

At the Center for Perinatal Medicine, caring and technology go hand-in-hand. The center offers sophisticated care for high-risk mothers and their pre-birth babies in a warm, nurturing, and friendly atmosphere. The focus is on comprehensive, safe, and effective perinatal care in communication and collaboration with the referring provider.

Features of the Center for Perinatal Medicine include:

  • Perinatologists available around the clock
  • High-risk pregnancy counsultations
  • Genetic counseling
  • Non-stress testing services
  • State-of-the-art ultrasound
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