My colleagues and I have the privilege of having a forward-thinking Director
who has asked for our input (imagine that!) on our upcoming expansion of our
maternity services.  We have two options; either lateral expansion of a very
old unit that was already modernized 5 years ago, or an entirely new unit in
a new tower.  We've been asked to make a wish list of the ideal unit.  Plans
so far include increasing our Special Care beds and becoming Level II plus
instead of Level II, possibly eliminating the "well baby" nursery, expanding
the L&D Triage Room to include a weekly clinic with a perinatologist.  We
had 2050 deliveries in 2006 and anticipate growth to up to 2500.  Our
breastfeeding initiation rate was 70% and we have about 50% WIC-eligible
(low income) moms.  We currently have 3 part-time IBCLCs (with increase in
staffing with the next budget) who answer to the Shift Coordinators instead
of directly to the Director.  We do outpatient visits at no charge and have
no pump rental or sales program, but have formally proposed charging for our
services and implementing a rental/sales program.  We would like to have our
own management and a clerk/Peer Counselor to assist.  We have Mother Baby
care, optional rooming-in, and one nesting room with a pump shared by all
SCN moms, Boarder moms, and hospital staff.  We have no classroom or meeting
room just for moms for classes or BF group support.  Most of our rooms are
too small, half private and half semi-private.  There is really no privacy
in the nursery for breastfeeding.  We do very little skin-to-skin care in
the nursery.  We are moving toward Baby-Friendly but need to make many
changes to implement the 10 Steps.  Our Director wants to streamline our
care and put everything at the bedside.  She is open to any and all ideas.  

 

Anyone care to share how they redesigned to improve care and make their
environment more baby friendly?  Or anyone fantasize about the ideal unit
and want to share? 

 

Linda Anderegg, RNC, BSN, IBCLC in Chicago


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