Editing Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

[[File:921Promo2.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Alex Karev|Dr. Alex Karev]] checking vitals on a preemie in the NICU.]]
A '''neonatal intensive care unit''' (commonly referred to the '''NICU''') is an [[Intensive Care Unit|intensive care unit]] specializing in the care of ill or premature newborn infants. A NICU is typically directed by one or more [[Neonatology|neonatologists]] and staffed by nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, physician assistants, [[Resident|resident physicians]], and respiratory therapists. Many other ancillary disciplines and specialists are available at larger units.

[[Seattle Grace Hospital]] commanded a state-of-the-art NICU formerly under the direction of the [[Attending#Department Chief|Chief]] of [[Obstetrics and Gynecology|OB/GYN]] and [[Neonatal Surgery]], [[Addison Forbes Montgomery|Dr. Addison Montgomery]]. After her departure to LA, it is unknown who serves as the NICU-chief; however, [[Pediatric Surgery|pediatric surgeons]] and other attendings on the surgical staff tended to act as the NICU's leadership.

After the merger with [[Mercy West Medical Center]] and the re-organization with the hospital board's leadership, the NICU is now part of [[Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital]].

[[St. Ambrose Hospital]] also houses a NICU, presumably under the direction of neonatologists and pediatric surgeons.

==Notable Cases in the NICU==
===Grey's Anatomy===
====[[Sofia Robbin Sloan Torres]]====
Sofia was born via emergency [[Medical Glossary#C|caesarean section]] at 23.5 weeks gestation,<ref>[[Song Beneath the Song]], 7x18</ref> weighing 1 lb., 1 oz. After her birth, she spent the first 12 weeks of her life in the NICU before going home. During this time, she experienced a grade one brain bleed. Her VSD also failed to close naturally, so it required surgery, which was performed by [[Robert Stark|Dr. Robert Stark]] as her mother, [[Arizona Robbins]], looked on.<ref>[[It's a Long Way Back]], 7x19</ref>

===Private Practice===

==Notes and Trivia==
*NICU gowns are typically worn by hospital staff and visitors prior to entering.
**In [[Grey's Anatomy]], the NICU gowns are pink.{{Source}}
**In [[Private Practice]], the NICU gowns are blue.{{Source}}
*Because [[Grey's Anatomy]] primarily focuses on surgeons, [[Neonatology|neonatologists]] are neither mentioned nor featured, despite their real-world day-to-day involvement in the NICU.
*There's a closet in the NICU where they store baby stuff that parents leave behind when their baby doesn't make it.{{Source}}
*The following main characters' children were NICU patients:
**Grey's Anatomy
***[[Sofia Robbin Sloan Torres]]
***[[Derek Bailey Shepherd]]
**Private Practice
***[[Georgia King-Freedman]]
***[[Caroline King-Freedman]]
***[[Rachel King-Freedman]]

==See Also==
*[[Neonatology]]
*[[Neonatal Surgery]]

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[[Category:Medical]]
[[Category:Locations]]
[[Category:Private Practice]]
[[Category:Grey's Anatomy]]