Among the top hospitals in the country for neonatology
Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital has been ranked among the best in the nation in five pediatric subspecialties, including neonatology (#43). The results appeared in the 2011 edition of "America's Best Children's Hospitals," published online by U.S.News & World Report.
Neonatal Care Team
In addition to board-certified attending neonatologists, the newborn care team consists of fellows, residents, physician assistants, staff nurses, neonatal nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, ECMO specialists, clinical staff, charge nurses, respiratory care practitioners, social workers, dietitians, case managers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and lactation specialists in the unit to provide round-the-clock care.
The Newborn Special Care Unit (NBSCU) provides in-patient intensive care, consultative support and neonatal transport services for critically ill newborn infants in Connecticut and beyond. Yale-New Haven opened this special unit - the world's first - in 1960. Today, the 54-bed unit is the largest unit in Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital and admits nearly 1,000 premature and critically ill newborns each year.
Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)
As the regional neonatal unit for southern Connecticut, the NBSCU is Connecticut's leader in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) - a heart-lung bypass procedure for infants with life threatening lung and heart diseases. Other advanced therapies available include high frequency ventilation, inhaled nitric oxide and body cooling for asphyxia.
• In 2010, Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital received the "Center of Excellence in Life Support" award from the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) for its pediatric ECMO program.
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Transport
The NBSCU also accepts transfers of newborn babies who require its special services from Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York hospitals. The neonatal transport service arranges for transfer of these critically ill newborns from referring hospitals via specially staffed and equipped vehicles. The transport team works closely with the referring physician to assure that the infant is stabilized and able to be moved.