St. John's Recognizes NICU Awareness Month
October 01, 2024
HSHS St. John’s Children’s Hospital honors National Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Awareness Month. Caring for the central Illinois community and beyond since 1941, the St. John’s Children’s Hospital NICU is a vital part of the hospital and its community.
Admitting a newborn to a NICU is more common than many realize. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), approximately one in 10 infants born in the United States each year are admitted to a NICU. St. John’s NICU is the only level III NICU in the region, caring for about 800 babies annually from 39 counties across an approximate 80-mile radius.
As St. John’s Children’s Hospital recognizes over 80 years of NICU care and also honors September’s NICU Awareness Month – a time to honor NICU families and the health professionals who care for them.
“With a team that includes neonatologists, neonatal nurse practitioners, nurses, respiratory therapists and developmental therapists, we’re equipped to offer expert level, compassionate care to all the babies that come through our doors,” said Simone Parlier, Executive Director of HSHS St. John’s Children’s Hospital. “We’re here for families during some of the hardest moments in their lives and proud to continue to be here when families need us most.”
St. John’s NICU is one of only a few hospitals and medical centers in the United States to offer the innovative concept of couplet care, which enables mom and her NICU baby to heal in the same space should the baby need a higher level of care. Providing immediate, 24/7 care of infants born too early, with low birth weights, congenital birth defects or unanticipated difficulties that may happen during delivery, families can rest assured knowing they and their baby are in the best of hands.
Admitting a newborn to a NICU is more common than many realize. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), approximately one in 10 infants born in the United States each year are admitted to a NICU. St. John’s NICU is the only level III NICU in the region, caring for about 800 babies annually from 39 counties across an approximate 80-mile radius.
As St. John’s Children’s Hospital recognizes over 80 years of NICU care and also honors September’s NICU Awareness Month – a time to honor NICU families and the health professionals who care for them.
“With a team that includes neonatologists, neonatal nurse practitioners, nurses, respiratory therapists and developmental therapists, we’re equipped to offer expert level, compassionate care to all the babies that come through our doors,” said Simone Parlier, Executive Director of HSHS St. John’s Children’s Hospital. “We’re here for families during some of the hardest moments in their lives and proud to continue to be here when families need us most.”
St. John’s NICU is one of only a few hospitals and medical centers in the United States to offer the innovative concept of couplet care, which enables mom and her NICU baby to heal in the same space should the baby need a higher level of care. Providing immediate, 24/7 care of infants born too early, with low birth weights, congenital birth defects or unanticipated difficulties that may happen during delivery, families can rest assured knowing they and their baby are in the best of hands.
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Micalli Muschinske
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