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Provided by UVA Health
A stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) can be an uncertain time for parents. When a baby is born early or sick, you need care you can trust. Local parents have found just that at UVA Health Prince William Medical Center in Manassas.
“We were given the best care from very understanding nurses and doctors,” said one parent. “We were given answers and explanations for each question we had.”
NICU Care in Prince William
Premature babies often face a host of challenges when they enter the world. Some struggle to breathe on their own or cannot regulate their own body temperature. Others have difficulty feeding or are born with conditions or illnesses that need specialized treatment. These infants require care from specialists at all hours.
NICUs are special hospital departments that treat the smallest and sickest newborns. Prince William Medical Center has a Level 3 NICU that provides comprehensive care to babies born after 26 weeks. The 12-bed unit has state-of-the-art technology and a team of neonatologists. These pediatricians are specially trained to care for premature and ill newborns. The team also includes nurses, respiratory therapists, lactation consultants, and case managers.
Families can consult an on-site pediatric cardiologist for heart conditions, as well as a pediatric ophthalmologist, who checks for eye disease in premature infants. NICU care for newborns includes breathing machines and oxygen therapy, along with incubators to maintain a stable temperature and continuous monitoring of heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels. For babies struggling to feed,
specialized feeding techniques and formulas provide needed nutrition.
Alice Valencia-Castillo, MD, neonatologist, Jennifer Spangenberg,
RN, NICU nurse, and Batoul Elamin, MD, neonatologist
The NICU experience can be a difficult time for parents. Support services to help families cope are tailored for the needs of these particularly tiny patients:
- 24/7 visitation
- Support for lactation, with advice on breastfeeding and pumping
- Hospital-grade pumps for mothers to take home
- Case managers who help families find resources and support
- Educational programs for parents
“The NICU is more than a place for medical care,” said neonatologist Jagadish Elumalai, MD. “It’s a home away from home for families. Our goal is to provide the best possible medical treatment and emotional support and resources to help parents.”
For parents, the extra care and attention makes a world of difference, not only for their baby’s health but also their own peace of mind. “Our baby was admitted to the NICU,” one mother said. “The NICU nurses and doctors were wonderful. They kept us extremely updated and explained everything very well.”
An Extra Level of Support
Though the Prince William area has access to excellent NICU care at Prince William Medical Center, some babies may need a higher level of care. Local teams also work closely with the specialists at UVA Health’s Level 4 NICU in Charlottesville. The Charlottesville NICU is part of UVA Health Children’s, which is ranked the number one children’s hospital in Virginia for four straight years by U.S. News & World Report. The Charlottesville location offers advanced treatments and complex surgeries. Babies can also see pediatric specialists, including neurosurgeons, orthopedics, endocrinologists, and gastroenterologists.
Many of the pediatric specialists in Charlottesville also offer telehealth consultations so they can talk directly with Prince William Medical Center doctors and parents. This service ensures families have real-time access to the world-class specialists in Charlottesville without leaving their local community.
Expansion Plans
The Prince William Medical Center NICU plays a crucial role in the lives of newborns and families in the community, helping the most vulnerable babies have the best chance at a healthy future. The facility has ambitions to expand and renovate the women and children’s center, including labor and delivery, mother/
baby and NICU areas. Philanthropic donations have been a driving force in the creation, and now renovation, of this part of the hospital and remain critical to ensuring the NICU remains a lifeline for the littlest patients. Donations are accepted by the UVA Community Health Foundation at Uvahealth.com/givehealth.
