Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Main Line:
(972) 519-1260

Waiting Area:
(972) 519-2112

NICU Social Worker:
(972) 519-1596

Family Hours:
From 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

After meeting your sweet boy or girl for the first time, the last thing you want to do is hand off your little one to someone else. We understand completely. At The Medical Center of Plano, our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nurses and physicians simply adore babies -- and they treat each infant like one of their own.

Our staff also helps you and your family participate as much as possible in your baby's development. The unit is open 20 hours a day, and we encourage parents and siblings to visit as often as you like. Parents can assist with baths, diaper changes, feedings and other bonding activities.

Babies who are born prematurely or with an illness need extra-special care. As a 40-bed, Level IIIB NICU (the first and only in Collin County), we provide sophisticated diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical care for infants delivered as early as 23 weeks. Here's how your baby will benefit:

• Unlike most facilities, we staff two neonatologists on-site in our department 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• We offer inhaled nitric oxide, an advanced form of respiratory care.
• Our pediatric surgeons specialize in neonatal surgery and can perform surgeries at the bedside, if necessary, so your baby doesn't need to be moved.
• The NICU is staffed with dedicated subspecialists who focus on neonatal care. These include pediatric respiratory therapists, pediatric occupational therapists, pediatric speech therapists, pediatric dieticians, pediatric ophthalmologists and pediatric lactation consultants. Our unit also has a dedicated pharmacy.
• All nurses are trained in developmental care and are Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) Certified. Many of our nurses are certified in Level III neonatal care and the STABLE (Sugar, Temperature, Airway, Blood pressure, Lab work and Emotional support) program, which teaches how to stabilize an infant after birth.

At The Medical Center of Plano, we realize this time in your baby's life can be tough and highly emotional. So we created the following programs to make it a little easier on you:

• TLC (Together Let's Cope) Support Group: Find comfort from other parents who also have a baby in the NICU.
• Parent Date Night: Take a much-needed evening away with your significant other at our monthly parent date night. A world-renowned chef will prepare a delicious gourmet meal for you and your date to enjoy in our relaxing dining room.
• NICU 101 Course: Learn about your preemie's needs and how to care for your baby at the bedside.

When it's time to take your little one home, we encourage you to spend one or two full nights here, taking care of your baby with a nurse close-by in case you have questions. This experience will build your confidence and provide detailed, hands-on training so you can do this on your own.

Many parents say our nurses and staff become like family during their child's stay. While they're thrilled to bring their baby home, they also miss many of the friendly faces at the NICU. That's why we host a reunion each summer for NICU graduates. This special event offers lasting memories for families, as well as our staff - who anxiously await being reunited each year with the babies (some now children) who they helped get started in life.