Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
The Johns Hopkins Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is a Level IV NICU care center, one of only two in the state of Maryland. Our unit of 36 acute care beds is staffed by highly trained and dedicated neonatal respiratory therapists who are key members of the multidisciplinary NICU team, which also includes neonatologists, neonatology fellows, pediatric residents, neonatal nurse practitioners, a child health associate (physician's assistant), neonatal nurses, neonatal social workers and unit clerks. This NICU team works together to provide the best care possible for these critically ill infants.
NICU respiratory care practitioners (RCPs) operate from the Department of Pediatrics with management from Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine Respiratory Care Services. This arrangement has allowed our division to staff a team dedicated to the NICU.
Our NICU respiratory therapists are responsible for neonatal therapeutic equipment and processes including:
- ventilator management with conventional as well as high-frequency oscillatory (HFO) and high-frequency jet (HFJ) ventilation
- surfactant administration
- intubation
- nitric oxide administration
- blood gas acquisition and interpretation
- blood gas lab organization and maintenance
NICU respiratory therapists also attend all high-risk and C-section births, travel with selected external transports and participate in some of Johns Hopkins’ many cutting-edge research projects.
Our NICU RCPs enjoy being involved with departmental operations through the creation, review and updating of policies and procedures, an active education committee that assists in offering training and enhancing the competencies of our therapists, and opportunities to attend and facilitate lectures and in-service programs for new equipment, procedures and NRP training. The Division of Respiratory Care Services also operates Maryland’s only extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) program with the active participation of NICU respiratory therapists.
For more information about our NICU respiratory care services or to apply for a position, please contact:
Stacey Mann, B.S., R.R.T.
Manager, Respiratory Care and ECMO Services
Johns Hopkins Children’s Center
Email: Smann11@jhmi.edu
