Interactive NICU care protocol: pick a case, follow the steps
The sequencer below loads the correct step order for whichever newborn case type you are running. Critical steps are marked in red — these are the ones that fail the case if skipped or done out of order. Tick each step as you go. Nothing is stored; refreshing resets the tool.
NICU Care Protocol Sequencer
Pick a newborn case below — the tool loads the correct care steps for that case in order. Tick off each step as you complete it in-game.
Select patient case
Select a case above to load the care protocol.
Each case has its own step order and equipment list.
Step XP figures are approximate from hands-on session observations and are community-sourced. Values may shift between game updates.
All four NICU case types in Maple Hospital
The NICU assigns one of four case types when a newborn patient spawns. The case determines which equipment bay you use and what your critical first step is. Treat them as four separate mini-games — the premature incubator workflow shares almost nothing with the cardiac ECG workflow.
Premature Newborn
Respiratory Distress
Cardiac Monitoring
Newborn Jaundice
All four cases share the same 6-step structure but require different first steps and different equipment. The sequencer tool above loads the exact steps for whichever case you pick.
NICU shift tips: what experienced players do differently
After running the NICU across several sessions I noticed the same patterns separating confident NICU players from new ones. These are not the obvious rules — the tool above covers those. These are the small things that change your case completion rate.
Read the case type before moving
The NICU bay display shows the case icon when a newborn patient spawns. Premature is a crib icon; respiratory is a lung; cardiac is a heart; jaundice is a yellow-glow indicator. Experienced players read this before they take a single step, because the first item they need (incubator vs CPAP mask vs ECG leads vs bili lamp) is in a different part of the room. Moving to the wrong bay wastes 15–20 seconds.
Coordinate role coverage before the case starts
Most NICU cases block the doctor assessment step until a Doctor-role player interacts. In a server where the doctor is busy in the main ward, the nurse side of the NICU can get through steps 1-3 and then stall waiting for the doctor interaction. Coordinating before the patient spawns means the doctor already knows to come to the NICU bay at step 4. This is the clearest difference between a completed case and a timed-out one.
Never rush the waiting steps
Three of the four case types have a deliberate wait built in: the incubator temperature stabilisation, the ECG trace read, and the bilirubin panel monitoring. These are not bugs or lag — they are the mechanics. Trying to skip past them by interacting with the next equipment early either locks the next step or fails the case. Treat the wait as part of the protocol, not dead time.
The chart log is the XP gate — do not forget it
Every NICU case ends with logging the patient chart. This is the step that banks the case completion bonus — typically 10–14 XP on top of the individual step XP. Players who complete all the clinical steps but wander off before logging the chart lose this bonus every single time. The chart clipboard is at the foot of the case bay. Logging takes about 3 seconds.
NICU vs Nurse: which earns more XP in Maple Hospital?
The short answer is that NICU pays more per case but costs more time per patient. Whether that trade is worth it depends on your server and team setup. Here is the direct comparison from my session data, using the same role (Neonatal Nurse) in both configurations.
| Metric | 👶 NICU cases | 🩺 Regular Nurse |
|---|---|---|
| XP per case | 50–75 XP (6 steps) | 20–40 XP (2-3 steps) |
| Time per patient | ~3-4 min (complex steps) | ~1-2 min (fast loop) |
| Patients per hour | Fewer (depth over volume) | More (high throughput) |
| Team required | Nurse + Doctor (most cases) | Solo-friendly |
| Fail risk | High (2 instant-fail triggers) | Low |
| Best for | Teamplay + XP per case depth | Solo grind + throughput |
When to stick with regular Nurse: You are solo, the server has few Doctor-role players, or you are grinding XP on a tight schedule. Standard Nurse at 8-12 XP/min beats NICU if the doctor coordination step regularly stalls the case.
Community
What Maple Hospital players say about the NICU
These observations come from Reddit threads, Discord channels, and player clip comments about the NICU department. They reflect the mistakes that keep coming up in new player questions.
Reddit observation
“The incubator temp dial is easy to miss if you don't know it's interactive — I wasted 3 premature cases before I found it.”
Incubator temperature control is a separate interaction from placing the patient. Most new NICU players skip this and wonder why stability keeps dropping.
Discord #nicu-tips
“CPAP flow rate matters — 2L first, bump to 4L if the chest indicator stays red after 10 seconds. Going straight to max flow doesn't speed it up.”
Flow rate over-correction is common. The system has a delay before the SpO2 reading updates — players read the delay as 'not working' and over-correct.
Community clip notes
“ECG case is the one where you get punished the most for going fast. Just wait for the trace.”
Cardiac is the clearest patience check in the NICU. Players who rush trigger the fail state on their first attempt every time.
Community observations from Reddit r/roblox threads, Maple Hospital Discord servers, and public YouTube clip comments. Not affiliated with Marizma Games.
Testing methodology
How we documented the NICU protocols
The care step sequences and equipment lists in this guide come from running all four NICU case types across multiple Maple Hospital sessions in June 2026. For each case type, I deliberately triggered the fail state at least once to confirm which steps are instant-fail and which are recoverable.
XP figures per step are derived from before/after XP readings at each case completion and are rounded to the nearest whole number. The exact NICU unlock level is community-sourced — player reports cluster around the late Nurse specialization tier (Level 25+), but the game does not surface a specific level gate in the role menu, so verify against your current in-game session. Any data that may shift between updates is flagged as community-sourced in the text. Last verified: June 2026.
NICU guide FAQ
What is the NICU in Maple Hospital Roblox?
The NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) is where players care for newborn patients. It has four case types — premature, respiratory distress, cardiac monitoring, and jaundice phototherapy — each with its own 6-step care protocol and equipment set.
What level do you need for the NICU?
Community reports place NICU access at the mid-to-late Nurse specialization tier, roughly Level 25+, after unlocking L&D (Labor and Delivery). Exact unlock levels shift between updates — check your in-game role menu.
How do I care for a premature newborn in Maple Hospital?
Incubator first — place the newborn and set temperature to 37.0°C before anything else. Then attach the pulse oximeter, wait for the doctor vitals check, administer the feeding tube if prompted, and log the chart for the case bonus.
What is the hardest NICU case?
Cardiac monitoring is most punishing — treating before the ECG reading completes locks the medication cabinet. Respiratory distress fails instantly if SpO2 drops below the red line before oxygen is applied. Both require sequence discipline.
How does NICU XP compare to regular Nurse?
NICU pays 50–75 XP per 6-step case versus 20–40 XP per 2-3 step standard Nurse treatment. But NICU takes longer per patient and needs a Doctor. Regular Nurse beats NICU on volume if the server has consistent patient flow.
What equipment does the NICU use?
Premature: incubator, pulse oximeter, feeding tube. Respiratory: CPAP mask, flow meter, portable X-ray, nebulizer. Cardiac: ECG lead set, IV medication syringe. Jaundice: phototherapy lamp, bili eye mask.
Can you do NICU solo?
Most cases need both a Nurse and a Doctor. The doctor assessment step (reading vitals/ECG) is locked until a Doctor-role player interacts. In low-population servers you can role-switch, but dedicated team play is faster.
What is the phototherapy step for jaundice?
Turn the bili lamp on first and wait 10 seconds for warm-up. Apply the eye mask to the newborn, then place under the lamp. Monitor the bilirubin panel every 60 seconds. Only discharge once the panel hits the green zone.
Does the NICU appear in every server?
NICU is part of the main hospital and is available in all standard servers once you meet the unlock requirements. Equipment and case details can shift between updates.
What happens if I skip a critical NICU step?
Critical step failures forfeit remaining step XP and the case completion bonus. Respiratory: late oxygen after SpO2 hits red = case ends immediately. Cardiac: interacting with medication before ECG completes = step resets and cabinet locks. Jaundice: placing before lamp warm-up = zero treatment XP for that step.
More guides
Related Maple Hospital department guides
🩺 Nurse Guide
The base role behind NICU access — specialization tree, XP per minute, and the fastest path to Neonatal Nurse.
Open guide →
🦷 Dentist Guide
Another specialist department with its own 8-step procedure sequence — how NICU compares to the dental workflow.
Open guide →
🐾 Vet Clinic Guide
The Veterinarian department added March 2026 — a separate building with its own animal patient case types.
Open guide →
📊 XP Level Calculator
Calculate how many NICU sessions you need to reach the Neonatal Nurse specialization unlock level.
Open guide →
Written by
Jim Liu · About this site
Independent Maple Hospital guide site. NICU protocols documented from hands-on gameplay sessions, June 2026. Not affiliated with Marizma Games or Gamefam.