USA Health recently announced that they will soon open a new Mother/Baby Unit designed to promote comfort and bonding for families and their newborns. The 20-suite postpartum unit is located on the fifth floor of the women’s tower at Children’s & Women’s Hospital, the area’s leader in births.
Deborah Browning. M.S.N., R.N., C.E.N.P, is the interim administrator for the hospital.
“This beautiful new unit is another example of how Children’s & Women’s Hospital focuses on providing high-quality care that is patient-centered,” said Administrator Browning.
The new unit is designed to facilitate what the industry calls – ‘couplet care.’ That is defined as a family-centered approach in which mother and baby are cared for in the same room by the same nurse from the time a baby is born until both are ready to go home.
The latest research has shown that couplet care creates a stronger bond between parents and their newborns, builds a baby’s immunity, and increases success rates for breastfeeding.
Vicki Curtis, M.S.N., R.N., the director of women’s services at USA Health, stated, “We want to provide care for both mom and baby at the bedside. The unit will have the amenities in the rooms that allow the babies to stay comfortable with mom.”
Economic developer Dr. Nicole Jones told Alabama Today, “The new health unit is functional and aesthetically pleasing and aims to enhance bonding between mother and child. It is a wonderful example of the quality of care offered for patients in south Alabama.”
The new facility was unveiled to the public Wednesday, February 15, during a community open house.
The new unit is designed with soft lighting and soothing colors of deep grays, golds, and blues, while stylish birds-in-flight wallpaper adorns the foyer ceiling, and beach images are incorporated into the signage and wall art.
Each of the 20 suites features a spacious bedroom, a recliner, a couch, and private bath with luxury amenities such as bidets. Each suite also incorporates a baby bath and scale and a height-adjustable bassinet for the newborn so that assessments and other procedures can be completed at the bedside.
A new lactation space will be located within the unit, staffed by an expanded team of lactation consultants. Two private rooms for breast pumping will be available for patients, visitors, and staff to use.
Tenesha Edwards, R.N., is the nurse manager of the new unit.
“We want our approach to be family-centered,” said Edwards. “This is a life-changing experience for families, and we only have them for a few days, so we want to make sure that their experience during those few days is great.”
Healthcare has become an increasingly important issue for the state as the population grows, and the number of doctors in the state has failed to keep up with the pace. There are fewer hospitals, and fewer of those hospitals deliver babies. Improving infant mortality and the survival rate of mothers in the year after having their child is a major concern to healthcare leaders and public officials alike.
The unit is expected to begin accepting patients next month.
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