Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital

Simply stated, the purpose of the Wasie Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital is to take care of newborns who require more care than our Newborn Nursery can provide. Utilizing some of the latest medical procedures and leading-edge technology, our experienced team of world-class neonatologists, neonatal nurse practitioners, physician assistants and specialty-trained nursing, respiratory and support staff are well-equipped to handle emergency situations.

The Wasie NICU at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital is a Regional Perinatal Intensive Care Center –one of only 11 in the state of Florida. We help mothers with high-risk pregnancies navigate through the health care services they and their unborn baby require then we continue to care for them after birth.

The staff of the Wasie NICU at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital dedicates itself to providing an environment where clinical expertise coexists with the belief that the strength of the healing process lies within the family unit. We feel that patient- and family-centered care helps make the Wasie NICU a safer, more productive healing environment. Our multidisciplinary approach allows neonatologists, nurse practitioners, nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, social workers, nutritionists, lactation consultants, unit secretaries, patient care assistants and parents to work as a team on each baby's care.

Conditions Treated

There are many reasons that a baby would require care in our Wasie NICU. In addition to premature babies or those who experienced complications at birth, we treat babies who are experiencing:

• Bowel obstructions
• Cardiac anomalies
• Congenital anomalies
• Hydrocephaly
• Infections
• Low blood sugar
• Meconium aspiration syndrome
• Necrotizing enterocolitis
• Neonatal sepsis
• Patent ductus arteriosus
• Persistent pulmonary hypertension
• Respiratory distress syndrome
• Retinopathy of prematurity
• Tracheo-esophageal fistula
• Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy
• Seizures