Our NICU Team
In the NICU
As a unique benefit of our association with the Texas Tech University Health Science Center, our neonatologists provide around-the-clock care.
Other professionals involved in your baby’s care in the NICU may include:
⦁ Case managers to answer your questions about insurance and Medicaid
⦁ Chaplains to provide spiritual support for families of all faiths
⦁ Dietitians to help your baby get the proper nutrition they need to grow
⦁ Lactation professionals to help you with nursing your baby
⦁ Neonatal nurses, who specialize in caring for newborns
⦁ Occupational therapists to provide support for your baby’s physical development
⦁ Pediatric surgeons and specialists to provide specialty and surgical care
⦁ Pharmacists to prepare, distribute and monitor medications
⦁ Psychologists to care for your family’s emotional and psychological needs
⦁ Respiratory therapists to care for your baby’s airway
⦁ Social workers to help you find lodging, transportation and community resources
⦁ Speech-language pathologists to support your baby’s ability to suck, swallow and coordinate their lips, tongue and jaw
Transport Team
Our dedicated EMS NICU personnel is staffed 24/7. We are a registered nurse and respiratory therapist driven transport team responsible for stabilizing and transporting preterm and critically ill infants via helicopter, fixed-wing aircraft and ambulance.
- All personnel have over 8 years of EMS experience
- All personnel are Neonatal Resuscitation Program Certified (NRP)
- All personnel are current on all American Heart Association certifications.
Our transport nurses are highly skilled in neonatal assessment with the capability of providing advanced airway management and intubation, umbilical arterial and venous line placement, Curosurf administration, and pneumothorax decompression. Transport respiratory therapists are skilled in neonatal intubation, blood gas interpretation, and ventilator management.
Our Transport team carries out the mission of UMC Children’s Hospital by exemplifying a culture of service, fostering and maintaining close relationships with referring facilities, and serving as a valuable resource to improve regional outcomes.
Methods of Transport
NICU Ambulance features include:
- Full Ventilator Management
- Cardiac Monitoring
- State-of-the-Art Monitoring and Instrumentation
Additional methods of transportation include a helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraft.
Families
We maintain communication with the family and provide an update once we have arrived back at UMCCH. Additionally, families will have the opportunity to sign a consent form for AngelEye with the transport nurse in order to view their baby on the camera as soon as possible. Our staff will provide updates at least once per shift to continually include the family in their baby’s care. Families are welcome to visit and call the NICU anytime, as we offer 24/7 visitation.