Burlington, Vt. – Staff and donors gathered Tuesday to mark completion of a renovation of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Golisano Children’s Hospital at University of Vermont Health, allowing the team to provide a more private, welcoming and functional environment for the hundreds of infants and families it serves each year.

The renovation, which represents the first significant update to the NICU since its construction in 1988, reorganized the unit’s existing space to better meet patient and staff needs. Key improvements include two new private rooms, one of which is a double patient room, offering a calmer, more healing environment for the sickest patients and a much-needed private space for families.

“These renovations demonstrate a true partnership between our health system, the community helping to provide some much-appreciated philanthropic support, and especially the voices of families who have received care in our unit in the past,” said Lewis R. First, MD, chief of Pediatrics at Golisano Children’s Hospital at UVM Health.

“This unique and important partnership has resulted in structural improvements that will make our neonatal facility exemplify the state-of-the-art, high quality, infant- and child-friendly, family centered care that is central to our mission,” Dr. First added.

The NICU provides care for approximately 500 premature and critically ill infants from across Vermont and northern New York each year, and is the only NICU in Vermont. It also operates a specialized neonatal transport service that performs about 120 transports across the region annually.

“These private spaces have already proven to be incredibly beneficial,” said Natalie Clark, BSN, RN, NICU nurse manager. “They provide privacy during critical times, and they also support families preparing for complex discharges by allowing some parents to stay overnight and learn how to meet their baby’s needs at home.”

Other upgrades to the unit include a brighter, more secure entrance and a nurses’ station designed to enhance workflow and staff experience.

Support From Community Donors 

The project was made possible through community support, including a lead gift of $1 million from EastRise Credit Union, based in Williston, Vt.

"The Golisano Children's Hospital NICU team provides exceptional care when families need it the most – care that shapes the lifelong health and well-being of some of the littlest patients,” said John Dwyer, EastRise CEO. “Supporting the renovation is our way of standing with families and employees at a pivotal moment, ensuring their environment supports this vital work. Seeing the project come to fruition today brings pride, knowing we’ve helped create a space where healing and hope can flourish for years to come.”

In addition to EastRise’s gift, the project received $100,000 from the Vincent Family Foundation and $50,000 from the Garibay family. 

For more information about NICU services, visit: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

University of Vermont Health
40 IDX Drive
South Burlington, VT 05403

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About Golisano Children’s Hospital at University of Vermont Health 

Golisano Children's Hospital at University of Vermont Health is a “hospital without walls” providing high-quality, child-friendly, family-centered care across six hospitals and five primary care clinics. Our Children’s Specialty Care Center offers more than 20 pediatric subspecialities, and our inpatient services include general pediatric and nursery care, pediatric intensive care and neonatal intensive care. As part of a rural academic health system, we care for thousands of children each year — from routine checkups to complex medical needs. We welcome more than 2,000 babies annually at our Birthing Center and conduct about 38,000 patient visits each year. Through our partnership with University of Vermont’s The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine and College of Nursing and Health Sciences we bring the latest advances in pediatric care to our patients, while helping train the next generation of health care professionals. Together, we care for children and families where they live, learn and grow, drawing on the compassion and expertise of our faculty, staff and learners.  

About University of Vermont Health

University of Vermont Health is a rural academic health system with more than 100 years of service to small towns and cities across Vermont and northern New York. We are deeply committed to reimagining rural health in ways that will benefit our communities for generations to come and keep exceptional care close to home. Our system includes an academic medical center, two community hospitals, three critical access hospitals, a children’s hospital, a cancer center, a multispecialty medical group, 154 outpatient sites and care beyond the hospital through home health, hospice care, four skilled nursing facilities and other support services. Our care is informed by an essential partnership with University of Vermont’s The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine and College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Together, as a health system serving a rural area, we are tackling health care’s biggest challenges — supporting the communities we serve and investing in our employees by addressing housing affordability, quality childcare and professional development needs. To learn more, visit us at www.uvmhealth.org.