The Angel Newborn Emergency Transport service is designed to transport critically ill newborns delivered in the Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky area to the Vanderbilt Level III NICU for intensive care. Given the skill and renown of the Angel transport team, occasionally transport requests are received for very young patients who have already been discharged home.

The transport of infants who have been discharged home potentially exposes the Angel team and equipment to highly contagious community viruses (particularly RSV) to which other premature and critically ill newborns are highly susceptible.

Babies with possible RSV exposure who are transported via Angel will have an RSV screen prior to a decision made as to admission into the NICU.  There is a protocol to be followed by the transport drivers to insure the isolette and ambulance are carefully cleaned and RSV free prior to being used for another transport.