What to Expect in the NICU

Parents play an essential role in their baby's care in our NICU. Your bedside nurse will help you learn how to participate.

We also provide educational sessions and encourage parents to participate during morning medical rounds. This is an opportunity for you to gain insights into your baby's care and contribute to the decision-making process.

Infection prevention is very important in the NICU. Learn more about our infection prevention policies.

Family Integrated Care (FICare)

At Mount Sinai Hospital, we have developed the Family Integrated Care (FICare) approach to infant care in the NICU, which has since been adopted by hospitals around the world. We strongly encourage parents to be the primary caregivers for their infants, even during their time in the NICU.

Our goal is to empower you with the skills and confidence you need to care for your baby.

Studies show that infants in the FICare model may benefit in the following ways:

• Faster growth
• Less stress
• Shorter stays in the NICU
• Lower chances of needing to return to the NICU
• Breastfeed longer

Morning medical rounds

Each morning, your baby’s whole NICU team, including the neonatologist, nurses and other health-care providers, visit each infant to discuss their care.

We strongly encourage parents to attend and to actively participate in these medical rounds. By listening, asking questions and providing information about your baby, you can gain a complete understanding of the care your baby is receiving.

If you can't come to the unit in person, you can join medical rounds virtually through e-rounds. E-rounds are offered Monday, Wednesday and Friday. If you are interested in participating, please connect with your social worker.

Please note that we are a teaching hospital, so your baby’s care may involve medical students, residents, fellows or other medical trainees. Learners are supervised by other members of our dedicated care team who work together to provide you with comprehensive care.

Parenting care for your baby

Your baby's nurse will guide and support you in learning to care for your baby. You will be encouraged to participate in many ways, such as:

• Holding your baby through skin-to-skin contact as much as possible
• Comforting your baby by giving a soother, stroking or hand-hugging
• Reading and talking to your baby
• Changing diapers
• Taking your baby's temperature
• Bathing your baby
• Feeding your baby
• Keeping a diary or scrapbook

It is also important for you to take care of yourself. Learn more about our supports for NICU parents.

Family meetings

During family meetings, your baby’s care team will review your baby's progress and next steps in care with you. You are welcome to invite other support people to attend the meeting with you.

These are usually offered within the first three weeks of your baby’s admission to the NICU, and on an as-needed basis. You can also request a meeting through your social worker at any time. Family meetings are also available virtually.

Security 

For safety, the NICU is a secure unit with controlled access. Parents are an important part of our team and will be given keyless access during their stay in the NICU. During your first visit to the NICU, please introduce yourself to the unit clerk, who will ask for your ID and set up your keyless access. Parents will receive a four-digit PIN code in order to receive information about their baby when they call.

Visitors to the NICU should call from the phone outside the door to check in with the ward clerk. All visitors must be accompanied by at least one parent at the bedside.

Security personnel regularly patrol the 17th floor and surveillance equipment is strategically placed throughout the hospital.