Approximately 1300 babies are born per year at the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre and now thanks to an over $400,000 donation from four organizations, the babies will be able to have access to brand new infant warmer and resuscitation units.
Rotary District 5730 Charitable Foundation, Pembina Pipeline Corporation, Lions of Alberta Foundation and the Canadian Red Cross all made contributions to the Northern Light Health Foundation to replace 11 of the machines to bring in brand new Panda iRES Baby Warmer units.
Juanita Pilgrim, manager of maternity and pediatrics said the units are the new standard for infant care.
“Newborns are placed in the unit for weighing, monitoring, and medical interventions and they provide technology to ensure local level 1 special care for pre-term infants,” said Pilgrim. “This means that we can provide care for babies who are born as early as 35 weeks gestation, and who require extra supports including respiratory support, intravenous therapy, and other types of specialized newborn care.”
The maternal and child ward at the hospital has had a number of renewal project complete to increase the health services they offer for both pre-term, and post-delivery patients.
Each maternity room and the special care nursery will have a new unit and all staff have completed the training on how to operate the machine.
Cindy Amerongen, NLHF executive director says the units are similar to the ones used in the Stollery Hospital which will further stabilize care for newborns who have to be transported for specialized care.
“This means continuity of care from room to room, a common understanding for all medical staff on the features of each unity, and a seamless integration of the technology that supports infant health throughout the ward,” said Amerongen.
As of Dec. 4, 2018 already 15 babies have been born at the hospital.
