Parents and Family:
- You are not a visitor but a vital member of the care team providing care for your baby.
- You are welcome in the NICU 24 hours a day. Your baby needs you.
- We will help you to learn all about your baby so you can feel confident providing daily care and feeling prepared for taking your baby home when he/she are ready.
- You are the most important person in your baby’s life.
Neonatologist:
- A pediatrician with special training in the care of very sick and premature babies.
- The neonatologist manages your baby’s care and is the head of the medical team.
Neonatal Fellow:
- A qualified pediatrician receiving more training in the care of sick and premature babies.
Neonatal Resident:
- A qualified medical doctor training to become a pediatrician.
Nurse Practitioner (NP):
- A nurse with advanced education and skills in the care of sick and premature babies and their families.
- They are able to provide orders for care and perform medical procedures.
Clinical Manager:
- Leader who is responsible for the day to day clinical and operational activities in the NICU.
- Responsibilities includes managing staff and supplies within the unit.
Charge Nurse:
- An experienced nurse in charge of the daily activities of the unit.
- She works with staff and physicians to ensure patients and families are receiving proper care.
- The charge nurse can be contacted at extension: 74631 if you have any concerns.
Registered Nurse (RN):
- A nurse with additional training in the intensive nursing care of babies and their families.
- He/she will perform and coordinate your baby’s daily care.
Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT):
- Assists the nurses and doctors with the assessment, management and treatment to improve your baby’s breathing.
Social Worker:
- Recognizes the difficulties and stress related to having a baby in the NICU.
- They can assist with coping strategies, relationship and family issues, and grief and loss. They may be of assistance in dealing with communication between yourself and the health care team. They will assist you to connect with additional resources as needed.
Pharmacist:
- Provides consultative services to the medical team in selecting and ordering medications and intravenous therapies.
Physiotherapist (PT):
- May assess your baby’s development and suggest specific ways to support development through positioning, handling and feeding your baby.
Registered Dietician:
- Works with the doctors, nurses and pharmacist to plan the best nutrition for your baby.
Lactation Consultant:
- A lactation consultant is a trained NICU registered nurse who can support and assist mothers with breastfeeding and expressing breast milk.
Nursing Unit Clerk:
- Greets and directs families, visitors and other medical specialties coming to the NICU.
- The Nursing Unit Clerk manages phone calls, books tests and appointments for the babies and maintain charts. He/she assists the nurse with admission, transfer, and discharge of the babies.
Infant Feeding Assistant (IFA):
- As members of Patient Food Services, IFAs provide a valuable service to the staff and infants in the NICU.
- The IFAs ensure the safe and accurate handling, storage, preparation, fortification and delivery of feeds, including expressed human breast milk and infant formulas.
NICU Aide:
- They help to keep the equipment clean and stock the supplies at each baby’s bedside.
- The Aide may also assist the nurse during procedures or tests.
- He/she receives direction and guidance from the health care team to provide tasks requiring immediate attention.
Sodexo Staff:
- Trained to protect the safety of patients, visitors, and staff, by cleaning and disinfecting the environment. Sodexo staff is trained in the most effective ways to clean, in order to eliminate the spread of germs.
Students:
- As a teaching hospital, you may meet student doctors, student nurses and other learners on the health care team.
- They will provide care under the direct supervision of a mentor.
Family Resource Facilitator:
- Family Resource Facilitators are available in the Pediatric Family Resource Center (PFRC, Room B1-006, across from the gift store).
- They are all family members who have had experiences with their own children in hospital.
- Visit the PFRC for printing, faxing, filling out paper work, applying for benefits or to find information.
- A family resource facilitator will come to the NICU to meet families.
Certified Music Therapist:
- Uses music to support patients in improving their health, development and well-being.
- The Music Therapist has received specialized training in NICU Music Therapy to work with premature infants and their parents.
Clinical Educator:
- Works closely with the whole team to train and onboard new staff.
- You may see the clinical educator on the unit teaching new procedures and updating our nurses.
