Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

St. John Hospital and Medical Center
22101 Moross Road, Detroit
General information: (313) 343-4000
Section Chief of Pediatrics and Neonatology: Ali Rabbani, M.D.
Clinical Manager, NICU and Special Care Nursery: Gayle Novack

When babies are very sick, the treatments they receive immediately after birth are critical. St. John Hospital’s 35-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit has specialized in the care of ill and premature babies for over 30 years. Dedicated to keeping pace with changing technology and treatments, St. John currently provides the only Level III neonatal intensive care unit on Detroit’s east side, which means only we are qualified to care for the sickest babies. In fact, as a regional referral center, many community hospitals on Detroit’s east side and extending into the Thumb area transfer their critically ill babies to St. John for care. 

Types of Neonatal Care

Level III neonatal intensive care provides the equipment and staff to provide continuous life support and comprehensive care for extremely high-risk newborn infants and those with complex and critical illness. In the NICU, electronic equipment has the ability to take over for bodily functions which are not yet working. Major advances include isolettes that closely reproduce the intrauterine environment. The lungs of premature babies are often not able to assume their function, a condition called Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS). High-frequency ventilators are used to breathe for babies too tiny to breathe on their own. Nitric oxide, a newly approved therapeutic gas can be used to increase blood flow to the lungs. Surfactants can be given to help the air sacs in the lungs expand and take in more oxygen. As the surfactant takes effect, use of the respirator can gradually be reduced.

Neonatal Diagnostics and Specialists

St. John Hospital provides on-site access to a full range of pediatric medical subspecialists; and advanced imaging with interpretation on an urgent basis, including computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and echocardiography and along with surgical specialists and pediatric anesthesiologists to perform major surgery.

Special Care Nursery

St. John Hospital offers a Special Care Nursery in its Birthing Center which treats infants with health problems that require intermediate care and close observation or for premature babies who no longer require the advanced care of the NICU. Examples of babies treated here are those with minor breathing problems or infections. The special Care Nursery supports St. John Health's philosophy of family centered care by keeping moms and babies together as much as possible.

The Special Care Nursery is a 14-bed acute care unit located at St. John Hospital in proximity to both the Birthing Center and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Speical Care Nursery accepts admissions from any pediatrician or family ractice physician who has admitting privileges at St. John Hospital and Medical Center. Developmental and separation needs of the infants are adressed in all aspects of care. We encourage mother-baby interaction during the Special Care stay. If the infant does not require constant monitoring or attention by licensed nursing staff, the infant is able to stay with the mother in her room for extended periods of time. The Special Care Nursery staff is prepared to serve the following special needs of newborns.

TLC Support Program for NICU babies and families

Our parent-to-parent support program known as TLC (Together Let’s Cope) is staffed by parent volunteers who had babies in the NICU. These volunteers offer many services to families including phone support, visits in the unit, a substantial lending library, and bi-weekly support meetings. We are very proud of this program as it is acknowledged nation-wide as a center of excellence.