What it means
An intensive care unit for newbornNOO-bornA baby in the first 28 days of life.Full entry babies, especially those born preterm, with a low birth weight, breathing problems, infections or birth defects. Babies may be in incubators or radiant warmers, on monitors, oxygen or breathing machines, and fed through tubes. Levels of NICU care range from I (basic) to IV (the most complex).
For the nurse
Support parents to touch and hold their baby when it is safe, including skin-to-skin contact, and to take part in care and feeding, including giving breast milk.
At a glance
| Spanish | unidad de cuidados intensivos neonatales (UCIN) |
|---|---|
| Also written | Neonatal intensive care unit, neonatal intensive care units |
Related terms
intensive care unit
A hospital unit that gives close, constant care to people who are critically ill.
intensive care
Close, round-the-clock medical and nursing care for people who are critically ill or at high risk of getting worse.
neonatal
Relating to a newborn baby, in the first 28 days after birth.
necrotizing enterocolitis
A serious illness, mainly of premature babies, in which part of the bowel becomes inflamed and its tissue begins to die.