Why choose Cook Children’s NICUs for your babies' care?
For over 100 years, Cook Children's has careds for the child who matters most in the world: yours. We offer personalized care for newborn babies diagnosed with complicated and rare medical conditions. If your baby was diagnosed with a condition during pregnancy that will require NICU care, or if you're at risk of a preterm birth we're here to help you learn what to expect.
Our Fort Worth NICU offers the highest level of care for newborns in Tarrant County. It includes five units with 106 bed spaces andin 99 single-patient rooms. We have dedicated units for babies with congenital heart disease, hyperinsulinism and small babies. Several rooms are specially designed for multiples (twins, triplets, quadruplets). In addition, we have the Prosper region's first full-service NICU within a pediatric medical center including private rooms. These spaces offer all of the amenities families need to stay with their babies around the clock - because healing happens best when we do it together.
Not all NICUs can provide the same level of care for medically fragile babies. Cook Children's NICUs feature advanced technology and state-of-the-art equipment, such as neonatal imaging, real-time digital monitoring devices, real-time heart rate observation (HeRO) and ECMO advanced life support. In addition, each nurse carries a communication device integrated with your baby's monitoring system. This device enables our nurses to receive alerts and alarms at all times. We even have a dedicated milk lab where technicians can fortify your breast milk with supplemental nutrients.
Our Fort Worth NICU also has a Small Baby Unit for babies born at 28 weeks of pregnancy or earlier. It's dedicated space and specially equipped to care for babies born as early as 22 weeks. Our experienced doctors, nurses and respiratory, occupational, physical and speech therapists are highly trained in addressing the unique needs of extremely preterm infants.
Having a baby in the NICU can be challenging for your family. We're here for you every step of the way. We have baby education classes, child life specialists to help siblings adjust, support groups and family events like our annual NICU reunion.
Each room features separate areas for baby and family. Our resources enable us to provide special linens for your baby, as well as a mobile and swing in every room. Parent areas include a privacy curtain, pull-out sofa bed, rocker/recliner, breast pump and storage. You can also access showers, a laundry room and a parent lounge.
Each room also includes an AngelEye Health camera system to allow you to see your baby if you ever have to be away. This donor funded technology allows our families comfort whether they're stepping away for lunch or going back to work.
When your baby is ready to go home, we make sure you're ready, too. Our discharge coordinators and case managers ensure that you have all the knowledge, equipment and services you may need at home, such as medical supplies or home health. We'll also help you arrange follow-up appointments with primary care and specialties.
Your doctor may recommend follow-up care when your baby graduates from the NICU. Providers within our NEST Center follow your child until they're five years old. We monitor them for any physical or developmental concerns so we can provide immediate treatment if necessary.
Nurse managers and nursing director
Think of our nurse managers and nursing director as the captains of your baby’s nursing care team. While they don't always manage day-to-day bedside care directly, they oversee the entire nursing staff, coordinate clinical schedules and ensure our unit maintains the highest standards of safety and pediatric excellence. They're here to support our nurses and ensure your family has everything you need during your stay.
Nursing and patient director
- Brittany McLaughlin, RN
Nurse managers
- Ashley Andrus, MSN, RN, CPN
- Catherine Pillado, RN
- Kaci Biggers, RN
- Kali Dabbs, RN
- Kelly Mourer, BSN, RN, RNC-NIC
- Khala Hart, BSN, RNC-NIC
- Kimberly Nickerson, BSN, RNC-NIC
- Lauren Austin, BSN, RNC-NIC
- Lauren Ebert, BSN, RNC-NIC
- Maria Posada, RN
- Megan Maxwell, BSN, RNC-NIC
Outreach coordinators
Our NICU Outreach Coordinators serve as a supportive bridge between our neonatal care team, expectant families and community physicians. They help prepare parents for upcoming NICU stays, provide real time updates to referring facilities and health care providers and provide regional healthcare providers with the latest specialized education. Together, they ensure every baby in our community gets the strongest possible start.
- Candace Alphin
- Ginger Hall
Advancing neonatology care
Our extraordinary team of highly trained neonatology specialists is at the forefront of the most advanced treatment for newborn babies. Through groundbreaking clinical research, we continuously explore new and innovative therapies to improve outcomes for our tiniest patients. We're nationally recognized for our exceptional care and results.
Your baby receives care from a comprehensive team of world-class providers, including:
- Neonatologists, doctors who specialize in caring for newborns, especially those who were born prematurely or have health issues
- Nurses and nurse practitioners specializing in high-risk newborn care
- If you connect with any of our nurses and wish to request them as a primary nurse to your child, please speak to nurse management about this process. Choosing primary nurse(s) means that when they are working management will do their very best to ensure they're caring for your baby.
- Specialists as needed, such as neonatal cardiologists (heart), pulmonologists (lungs), gastroenterologists (digestion), endocrinologists (hormones and glands), nephrologists (kidneys), geneticists and more
- Dedicated PICC line team, providers who are specially trained and designated to insert and manage peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC lines) in the smallest and sickest babies. This specialized team is unique to our medical center and ensures that only the very best are handling this intricate procedure.
- Pharmacists who specialize in managing medications in NICU babies
- NICU-specific physical therapist and occupational therapist
- NICU-specific speech therapist
- Case managers who coordinate your baby's care
Your team also may include a range of dedicated support staff, such as:
- Dietitians, milk technicians, feeding specialists, speech/swallow therapists and lactation consultants who support lactation, breastfeeding, donor milk, supplemental feeding and formula selection for special needs
- Respiratory, physical and occupational therapists to help your baby breathe, move and function better
- Staff who can help you better understand your baby's condition(s) and how to participate in their care
- Social workers who can connect your family to any resources you may need
- Spiritual care and mental health counselors to help your family cope during this challenging time
- Discharge coordinators to ensure you have the education and information you need to take your baby home
This staff is NICU specific, meaning they stay within the department and are specialized in neonatal care.
Babies in the NICU seem so fragile and delicate that parents can be afraid to pick them up or hold them. But whenever possible, holding your tiny premature or critically ill baby is good for both you and your baby. One of the easiest ways to do this is through kangaroo care, the simple method of holding your baby against your bare chest for skin-to-skin contact. This can be done by both parents. We offer "kangaroo tubes" that can be worn to help you and your baby feel more secure along with warm blankets.
We have numerous resources available through lactation services for moms that are having difficulty with nursing/pumping. While other nurses are focusing on your baby's care, the lactation consultant can provide extra attention to you.
We have an on-site milk lab, and we participate in a donor breast milk program. Mothers throughout Texas and surrounding states donate breast milk to the Mother's Milk Bank of North Texas, one of only two milk banks in Texas. The donated milk is tested, pasteurized and delivered to our Level IV Neonatal ICU to provide nourishment for sick and premature babies.
Moments of magic
Hope and healing happen every day here at Cook Children's. We invite you to take a peak.
