Wasie Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Our Caring NICU Staff

If your baby has special needs that require a stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), it is comforting to know who is caring for your baby. The Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital (JDCH) NICU staff has been frequently awarded for providing excellent customer service.

  • The nursing staff was voted "Best Nursing Staff" in the state of Florida in 2002 by Advance for RN magazine.
  • The staff at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital was recognized by Florida Medical Business as the "Best Nursing Staff of 2001."
  • The NICU has been recognized annually as a "Model of Excellence" by the State of Florida Department of Health, Children's Medical Services Division.
  • The NICU has been awarded "Best Children's Hospital" by South Florida Parenting magazine for the past five consecutive years.

Below you will find an overview of the staff that meets your baby's needs in the Neonatal ICU. Included is a brief explanation of their role in caring for your baby.

Nurse Clinician
A nurse clinician works closely with nurses and the clinical nurse manager to identify your infants needs, monitor progress and educate the family on what is happening in the NICU.

Clinical Nurse Manager
A clinical nurse manager plans, organizes and directs around-the-clock care of all newborns in the unit.

ECMO Coordinator
An ECMO coordinator oversees extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) treatment on newborns with severe heart and lung complications.

Unit Secretary
A unit secretary has different clerical responsibilities, including scheduling tests for your infant and following through on results.

Patient Care Associate
A patient care associate provides basic direct care tasks for infants, transporting them to other locations in the hospital, performing electrocardiograms and obtaining blood specimens for lab work.

Neonatologist
A neonatologist is a pediatrician who specializes in the care of newborns. You may wish to ask the neonatologist about your baby's medical condition, plan of care and discharge plan. Your doctor will be happy to speak with you regarding your baby's health.

Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
A neonatal nurse practitioner is a nurse with advanced training and experience in the NICU. Practitioners work closely with the doctors in planning and providing medical care, and they are also happy to answer any questions regarding your baby's medical care.

Registered Nurse
All nurses that care for your baby have specialized training in NICU. There are many different nurses that will care for your baby in the NICU; therefore, you will see many different faces. Every nurse receives a thorough report on your baby that allows them to take very good care of your infant for the duration of their shift.

Respiratory Therapist
Respiratory therapists are responsible for your baby's respiratory care. They manage ventilators and other respiratory equipment, as well as give your baby breathing treatments to help him or her breathe easier, if needed.

Occupational/Physical Therapist
Occupational therapists (OTs) and physical therapists (PTs) promote optimal
growth and development for your infant. Therapists can teach you infant massage, positioning and handling techniques, and appropriate environmental modifications that are necessary to make your baby more comfortable. An individualized program is established based on your baby's medical diagnosis and gestational age.

Speech Therapist
Speech therapists (STs) focus on your infant's feeding behavior. An individualized feeding program will be established based on your baby's needs. The speech therapist will address any questions you may have regarding when to begin to nipple feed, how frequently to nipple feed and the best choice of nipple for your baby. Parents will be taught various strategies and techniques to enhance feeding development, including oral motor exercises and the best way to position the infant for feeding.

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