NICU
The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) provides critical care to newborns who are ill or premature. Many factors may lead to a newborn being admitted to the NICU, including low birth weight or complications during delivery. The NICU staff works closely with parents to develop a treatment plan for their newborn.
Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Fort Pierce, Florida
When your baby needs extra care following birth, the Level III NICU at HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital is here for you.
Our 20-bed NICU is staffed by highly trained, compassionate clinicians, ensuring your new baby has access to complete neonatal services. Each team member will work together to ensure your baby receives the individualized attention and support they need during this time.
Related Specialties
Learn more about our related specialties
Level III NICU features
Our NICU features:
- 24-hour coverage by a respiratory therapist with Level III NICU experience
- 24-hour coverage by neonatologists, nationally certified neonatal nurse practitioners and physician assistants
- Multiple centralized nurse stations to monitor infants
- A specially trained neonatal transport team available 24/7 to move critically ill infants to our NICU from other regional hospitals
- Support from the area's only full-time perinatology services
- Certified lactation consultants
- Controlled access to the unit monitored by video cameras
- Developmental care specialists
- Long-term nutritional support with total parenteral nutrition
- Certified neonatal speech pathologist with specialized training in infant feeding
- Nitric oxide capabilities for persistent pulmonary hypertension
- Pediatric subspecialty consultations available for pediatric ophthalmology, cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, genetics, hematology/oncology, infectious disease, nephrology, pulmonology, urology and ear, nose and throat (ENT)
- Preoperative and postoperative stabilization
- Neonatal-certified occupational therapy
- ROP laser therapy
- Neonatal ventilators for all modes of respiratory support
Our Level III NICU care team
Board-certified neonatologists lead our Level III NICU team. Infants in our NICU also receive care from other neonatal specialists, including neonatal nurses and neonatal respiratory therapists. If needed, we have subspecialties in heart care, neurological care, endocrinology, ophthalmology, orthopedic and ear, nose and throat (ENT) care who will join the NICU team in caring for your baby's health needs.
Neonatal transport team
Our hospital's neonatal transport team works with various services to bring babies from hundreds of miles away via ground and air ambulances.
Our hospital facilities are always prepared to handle any emergency, including transporting our tiniest patients.
Care for preterm and full-term newborns
Our NICU is fully equipped to treat an array of conditions affecting newborns, but the care an infant needs varies greatly depending on the time of delivery.
23 to 26 weeks
Infants born at this gestation weigh about one to two pounds or less. They need significant support at the time of delivery because their organs are underdeveloped. The skin is very thin and can be bruised easily, and the lungs are underdeveloped.
At birth, the baby may have a weak but audible cry and require the immediate insertion of a breathing tube and support with a ventilator. These infants benefit greatly from artificial surfactant (a liquid needed for breathing), which helps prevent the fragile air sacs from collapsing.
27 to 29 weeks
Infants born at 27 to 29 weeks weigh an average of two to four pounds. Their skin is thin, and they have very little fat. They may need ventilator support and may receive artificial surfactant to help their lungs mature.
Intravenous nutrition is important for several weeks as these infants gradually adjust to increasing breast milk or formula volumes through tube feedings. It can take a month or more for these newborns to mature enough to try breast or bottle feeding.
30 to 33 weeks
Infants between 30 and 33 weeks of gestational age are born seven to 10 weeks early. These infants weigh roughly two to four pounds and need monitoring in an intensive care environment.
Often, these infants need help breathing, which may be in the form of a breathing machine, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or oxygen by nasal cannula. A tiny feeding tube may also be inserted in their nose or mouth to help them receive nutrition until they're mature enough for breastfeeding.
34 to 36 weeks
Infants born four to six weeks early typically weigh between four and seven pounds. Many of these infants experience little difficulty after birth, but others have significant problems with maintaining normal blood sugar levels or learning how to eat.
Some of these newborns require a breathing machine, an incubator or oxygen delivered via an oxygen hood or nasal cannula.
37 to 42 weeks
Full-term infants may need intensive care for problems related to:
- Birth abnormalities
- Complications during childbirth
- Feeding difficulties
- Infections, such as pneumonia
- Maternal diabetes
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Our NICU Locations