What to Expect With Inpatient Care from the BPD Center
We know how stressful it can be to have your newborn baby in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU). You may be overwhelmed by all the doctors, nurses, therapists and other providers who are constantly visiting your child. As much as possible, the providers in the BPD Center visit with your child at the same time as other providers so you don’t feel like you’re talking to doctors around the clock. Our team is here to help you during this difficult time — not cause more stress.
We will keep a close eye on your child’s breathing development and monitor any changes so we can treat any challenges right away.
After You Are Referred to the BPD Center Inpatient Service
Our BPD team’s first goal is to get to know your child and their lung disease and breathing pattern. We want to determine how much breathing support your child needs and how their current medications are working for them.
The team that will evaluate and treat your child includes the Cincinnati Children’s NICU team, as well as a pulmonary specialist, nurse practitioner and clinical coordinator. Every Tuesday, team members will assess and join the NICU team for rounds to evaluate your child’s breathing and current respiratory support. Based on your child’s individual needs, our team may see them more frequently as needed. Our team also meets once a week to discuss your child’s care as a multidisciplinary group.
In addition to managing your child’s breathing needs, our team focuses on their development. Every Thursday afternoon, the therapy team, which consists of OT, PT, speech and child life, will round alongside members of your care team to discuss your baby’s development and goals.
We encourage you, as a parent or caregiver, to be at your baby’s bedside as much as possible. When you’re there, you can help with your baby’s development through your interactions.
When You Are Discharged from the BPD Center Inpatient Service
The next steps vary based upon the unique challenges your child is facing.
Patients who will require a ventilator at home will transfer to another unit in the hospital, so you can continue receiving education about your child’s trach, vent and feedings. The teams in that unit will help you find supplies and nursing care for your home. While our team will no longer be rounding weekly, we will continue to follow your child and communicate with your child’s new caregivers to make sure they understand what your child needs.
All other patients will be discharged home from the NICU. The NICU team will set your child up with any equipment they may need at home. A discharge meeting will be set up by the BPD Clinical Coordinator to discuss our outpatient BPD clinic . They will provide you with contact information for your child’s neonatologist and pulmonologist. After discharge, our providers will continue to follow your child in the outpatient BPD clinic.
