Specialized Care for Newborns
February 14, 2023
Stephanie Violi, of Royal Palm Beach, was 24 weeks pregnant when her water broke unexpectedly and for no apparent reason. The condition, called Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes (PPROM), sent her to Wellington Regional Medical Center for bed rest. Six days later, on December 3, 2022, she gave birth to baby Michael, who weighed 1 pound, 13 ounces.
Since birth, Michael has been in the hospital’s Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), which is specially equipped and staffed to provide specialized care for the most fragile newborns. The 15,000-square-foot unit provides advanced technology and intensive monitoring in a comfortable environment.
“The care at the NICU has been amazing,” said Stephanie. “All the doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, physical therapists and occupational therapists go above and beyond daily to provide excellent care. They are very dedicated to all the patients and their families, and provide all the babies with so much love and care.”
Stephanie and her husband Michael had no idea what to expect and were very worried, but everything was explained to them every step of the way. “All healthcare workers are superheroes, but the ones that work with babies, they are extra special and are sent from God,” Stephanie said. “We are forever grateful.”
“We are proud of our Level III NICU, which offers care to the most critical babies,” said Edith Spencer-Morales, MD, Medical Director of Neonatology. “From the latest technology to our team’s significant clinical experience, our expertise is demonstrated by large patient volumes and complexity of care. Our evidence-based guidelines result in excellent patient outcomes.”
Baby Michael will remain in the NICU until mid-March, near Stephanie’s due date of March 18. His parents are able to visit him any time of the day or night. “We would highly recommend the NICU here at Wellington because of the dedication and care my son is receiving,” added Stephanie. “They treat the patient and family like their own family. We are so thankful.”