East Jefferson Helps New Parents Transition Home Published in Nurse.com Perched on the fourth floor of the hospital, just steps away from the NICU, the First Night Room offers the mother a chance to spend the night in the hospital with her child before going home. 'We always had an idea to room the mothers and babies together for one night before they went home. We really saw a big need for a special home just for the NICU mothers,' said NICU nurse manager Judy Vollenweider, RNC. Vollenweider said that the hospital delivers approximately 250 babies per month and, on average, 25 of those babies will end up in the NICU. While many of these babies are premature, other ailments can include heart defects, surgical complications, neurological problems and observation for sudden infant death syndrome. Many of these newborns must stay in the NICU for extended periods of time, which only increases the anxiety and pressure a parent can face when they finally bring that child home. Some parents have also had very little opportunities to interact with their children. '[Many of the premature babies] can't even feed or anything. It can sometimes take months before we can even get them to the position where they can breast or bottle feed,' said Vollenweider. In many cases, simply sending home premature babies in a car seat can be a big problem because they are too weak to hold up their heads. Other babies must be discharged with oxygen to help their lungs. Vollenweider said that while the preemies may spend up to a few months in the hospital, parents are given training and education just before they are discharged. Special instructions are given on medications and any other unique needs or handling issues the child may have. By spending that last night before going home in a controlled environment, the First Night Room serves as a perfect transition between the hospital and home. 'The room gives the parents a secure place to stay. They get educated and then learn how to give comfort and care to their infants in a setting that resembles more of a home,' said Vollenweider. Vollenweider said that one of the biggest appeals of the First Night Room is its comfort. Far from the coldness and institutional feel of a standard hospital patient room, the room features draped windows, a decorative atmosphere, a baby crib, a table for meals and more of what Vollenweider calls a 'homey' feel. Most mothers will be limited to one night in the room but she said that may be expanded to two nights or more for special occasions such as triplets and multiple births. 'Normally, we would have let them stay in a hospital room and these people have just been amazed at how beautiful it is. It's very comfortable and most people forget they're in a hospital,' said Vollenweider. Cheryl Hollier, RNC, works as a staff nurse in the NICU and said that she has seen a noticeable difference in how patients react and become more relaxed in the room. That home-like comfort in the room can create a warm and welcoming environment that can ease some of the tensions and stress associated with being in a hospital. 'It's just like a home but they have access to medical devices and assistance if they need it. It really puts them at ease when caring for their baby that first night,' said Hollier. Aside from serving as a room for premature babies and their parents, Vollenweider said the room will also be used for consultations with doctors and to inform parents of problems with their baby. With hospitals closing in neighboring New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina, East Jefferson General Hospital has seen a significant increase in patients since the storm. Vollenweider said that traffic has put a strain on space. As the hospital and local population grows, so too may the need for another room. 'We expect that the room will be busy about 20 days per month. We've always used this room, we just didn't have it set up this nice. I'd like to eventually have another room like this,' said Vollenweider. Craig Guillot is a freelance writer. To comment on this article e-mail editorSC@nurseweek.com.
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