SURGICAL & CRITICAL CARE
The tale of two NICUs: Evidenced-based design and equipment While every parent envisions a perfect, full-term delivery of a healthy baby, preterm birth affects 1 in every 10 infants born in the U.S. with many of them requiring care in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).21 Preterm NICU patients often require specialized care, such as temperature control, respiratory care, and noise and light protection.22
Family centered care, where parents are encouraged to be part of their baby’s care team, has been shown to improve infant weight gain, decrease stress and anxiety in parents, and increase high-frequency exclusive breastmilk feeding rates. Additionally, skin-to-skin care improves breastfeeding duration, milk production, parental satisfaction, and bonding.23 Based on the need and the evidence, hospitals across the U.S. have been renovating their NICUs or building completely new units to help premature babies survive and thrive.
Mountain View Hospital Mountain View Hospital (MVH), a physician-owned hospital located in Idaho Falls, Idaho, recently opened a new Level III NICU where its team of highly trained neonatologists, registered nurses, respira- tory therapists, pharmacists, lactation specialists, occupational therapists and social workers work closely with parents to provide the best outcomes for their babies. “Thousands of little boys and girls have been born at Mountain View Hospital over the past 20 years,” said MVH NICU Manager Brandi Klingler. “A vast majority of children enter the world without complications. However, some babies need some extra help. Our team decided to open a state-of-the-art NICU in 2021. We wanted to provide our community with another option for babies born as early as 25 weeks and moms experiencing high-risk pregnancies. Today, we are proud to deliver the most babies in the region and be a facility where all babies are welcome.” The MVU NICU was intentionally designed to keep families
together to improve health outcomes for babies. Infants are housed in individual suites with comfortable spaces for parents to relax and access to important items they may need, such as breast pumps and milk warmers. Parents have around the clock access to the NICU and can even stay overnight if they do not want to be away from their little one.
MVU built its NICU using the latest technology available. The
isolettes, warmers, monitors and ventilators created by Dräger, take baby’s every need into account. The equipment is designed to regulate temperature for optimal health, provide the perfect amount of lighting to avoid overstimulation, and reduce noise to protect baby’s highly sensitive ears. Every detail has been carefully con- sidered to make sure babies get the best start possible.
The NICU team sought to renovate its space to better reflect the
high level of care that TMC and its clinicians and staff provide, and the hospital secured the required funding. They teamed up with Dräger for innovative design services and advanced neonatal technologies to create a Level III NICU that simultaneously meets the needs of babies, families and staff. The TMC NICU team wanted their new space to support closeness
between baby and caregiver. They also wanted it to be a neuropro- tective environment where premature infants were shielded from bright lights and loud noises their developing brains and bodies are not ready to process. The decision was made to transition from housing all 22 NICU babies together in one triage room, to each baby having their own individual room where they could be together with their family. To equip the new NICU rooms, they chose the Dräger Babyleo TN500 IncuWarmer, BiliLux LED Phototherapy Light, GeminaDUO Wall-mount System, Infinity Acute Care System, and Babylog VN500 ventilators. During the design process, the TMC NICU team visited the Dräger
Healthcare Design Center in Telford, Pa. to visualize the entire work- space, and physically navigate the placement of devices, which helped them build proper traffic and workflows. “We were working in a very dated space but the care we provided
was unbelievable,” said TMC Director of NICU Connie Potts, RNC- NIC. “So, to be able to take amazing technology and put that with the care, these babies will have even better outcomes.” “So, what’s really great about the new facility is finally our envi-
ronment matches what we are able to do with the people that we have,” said TMC’s Chief, Department of Pediatrics, Joshua E. Petrikin, MD, FAAP. Commenting on the integration between design and equipment
and its impact on staff members, TMC Clinical Team Manager Alison McIntyre, MSN, RNC-NIC states: “It is nice to have everything inte- grated into one because now they only have to deal with one brand.” “I am so glad leadership of this hospital made it happen,” said
Sandra P. Ganon, RNC-NIC. “Also to all the contributors who made this unit possible.”
Alison McIntyre, RN and a nursing teammate ensure all infants have been safely moved into the new space, while new mother Imani Rue spends quality time with her daughter, DeKota.
Jameisha Mckinney and her baby boy Cylus in MVH’s NICU outfitted by Dräger
University Health Kansas City Truman Medical Center Nearly half of all babies born in Kansas City, Mo., enter the world at University Health Kansas City Truman Medical Center (TMC) but its existing Level III NICU, built in 1979, needed updating.
20 December 2022 • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS •
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