Wasie NICU at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital
The Wasie NICU at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital provides Level IV neonatal intensive care services. Our NICU is equipped to care for the tiniest and most critically ill babies, offering the greatest range of neonatal services and support.
The care we provide for complex conditions and extremely premature babies has put The Wasie NICU at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital among the top neonatal intensive care providers in the country.
Our sister hospitals, Memorial Hospital Miramar and Memorial Hospital West, both have on-site Level III NICUs for babies requiring neonatal care. Our NICUs work seamlessly together and utilize our dedicated NICU transport services to bring babies requiring a higher level of care to the Wasie Level IV NICU when necessary. Babies can stay in the NICU anywhere from a few days to more than six months, depending on their care needs.
We know you’re never prepared for your baby to spend time in the NICU, but our team is here to help you through this journey – one step at a time.
Multidisciplinary, Comprehensive Care
Our NICU team provides 24/7 intensive care services to critically ill and premature newborns. Whether your baby is in the NICU after a high-risk pregnancy or from a complication during delivery, a congenital issue or low birth weight – we are here to help.
Everything your baby needs is right here at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, from subspecialty experts to advanced treatment options and diagnostic capabilities for even the tiniest babies. Our multidisciplinary approach to care ensures that your baby will see specialists throughout their NICU stay — and will continue that specialized care through discharge and beyond.
Family-Centered Care
Parents are a core member of our NICU team. We encourage parents and caregivers to spend as much time as possible at your baby’s bedside. The more time you spend learning how to care for your baby during their NICU stay, the more comfortable you’ll feel when it’s time to take your baby home.
Throughout your baby’s stay, NICU parents are invited to:
- Attend daily rounds for an update on your baby’s health
- Be an active participant in your baby’s care, including diaper changes and taking your baby’s temperature
- Enjoy skin-to-skin (kangaroo care) with the assistance of your baby’s nurse
- Participate in NICU parent support groups and lactation support groups
- Provide valuable feedback on your baby’s care plan
- Utilize hands-on support for breastfeeding in the NICU
Hypothermic Therapy Destination Center
Wasie NICU provides Hypothermic Therapy for full-term infants who have sustained a hypoxic-ischemic injury during birth. Our team works closely with our Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital transport team to immediately transfer babies with neonatal encephalopathy to our facility to begin treatment. Wasie NICU is the designated cooling center for Broward county.
Newborn & Infant Chronic Lung Disease Program
Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit’s Newborn & Infant Chronic Lung Disease Program has extensive experience in the management of infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Our multidisciplinary team uses a patient- and family-centered approach to provide an individualized plan for each infant. Using evidence-based best practices in neonatology, ventilator/respiratory management, specialized nutrition plans and child development, we maximize each infant’s wellbeing to improve and optimize outcomes. Our NICU participates in the Vermont Oxford Network (VON) and is an active participant in the Nationwide BPD Collaborative, benchmarking itself nationally as well as sharing advances in care of neonates and infants with BPD to improve care of this population.
Nationally-Ranked Pediatric Cardiac Care
Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital is proud to be named U.S. News & World Report Best Children's Hospital for Pediatric Cardiology and Heart Surgery. Our Heart Institute's pediatric specialists work closely with our NICU team to provide a full range of congenital heart care to our patients. Our nationally-ranked program means your baby’s heart is in the very best hands.
