Neonatologist - Level II -in house or on call?

[obnurseforlife]

What are you experiencing in your areas? We have a level II unit - delivering 32 weeks and above. Do you have neonatologists in house, or just on call. How about the use of NNPs? In house, or on call? By our state rules, we only have to have them in house if a baby is on a vent. Just curious as to what facilities are doing.

[Jolie, BSN]

I've worked in a couple of Level II NICUs. Both had in-house neonatologist coverage during typical "business" hours and for pre-arranged events such as planned sections of multiples, deliveries of babies with known conditions, etc.

Other hours were covered either by NNPs, local pediatricians or fellows from a near-by children's hospital, with the neonatologist on back-up from home. They rarely needed to be called in at odd hours, but were responsive when the need arose.

So there was always a capable medical caregiver in house, but their credentials varied.