Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (commonly referred to the NICU) is an intensive care until specialised in the care of ill or premature newborn infants. A NICU is typically directed by one or more neonatologists and staffed by nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, physician assistants, 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 Chief of OB/GYN and Neonatal Surgery, Dr. Addison Montgomery. After her departure to L.A., it is unknown who serves as the NICU-Chief, however, paediatric 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-organisation 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 paediatric surgeons.

Notes and Trivia

 * Sofia Robbin Sloan Torres was born via emergency caesarean section at 23.5 weeks gestation, 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 Dr. Robert Stark as her mother, Arizona Robbins, looked on.