By Teena Monteleone

Prince Albert nursery a difficult ‘357-square-foot-reality’

Dec 3, 2018 | 4:16 PM

On Monday morning in the Victoria Hospital obstetrical unit, there was a total of 14 newborn babies.

Of those 14, nine were in the special care nursery due to increased needs or being unwell at birth.

“We’ve had to transfer babies out because capacity is bursting at the seams,” said Shawn Phaneuf, director of maternal and children’s services. “We want to provide care as close to home a possible for the people we serve in the north. Our motto is ‘provincially supported and locally delivered care.’”

The Prince Albert pediatric team delivers 1,500 babies each year. They have the capability, skills and training to stabilize and care for fragile newborns, but they don’t have the space. The nursery is only 357 square feet and is operating as a Level 2 neonatal unit, stabilizing and caring for a growing number of sick and premature infants as young as 32 weeks.

“A bigger nursery would increase capacity and prevent moms from having to be transferred to Saskatoon and Regina, or even out of province,” said Phaneuf.

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The neonatal unit also needs to be upgraded with new and additional technology. Currently, the nursery has medical gases to manage only four babies at a time due to a lack of outlets.

“How a sick baby is treated in the first few days after delivery, will have a long-term impact on its health and development. This is a critical mission,” said Pediatrician Dr. Peggy Lambos in a press release from the Victoria Hospital Foundation (VHF).

That mission is to raise $2 million for a new neonatal unit. It would include 11 private and fully-equipped baby bays with warmers, incubators, medical gases and monitors. Each bay would have a pull-out bed and chair for mothers to be near their infants, which would result in increased privacy and space, and a reduction in noise.

VHF Chief Executive Officer Sherry Buckler said expanding the neonatal unit is “the most ambitious fundraiser ever.” The campaign is being spread out over two years. Buckler said its success will depend largely on the 12-hour live radiothon broadcast from the lobby of the Victoria Hospital this Friday, Dec. 7 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The radiothon runs on all three Jim Pattison Broadcast Group radio stations reaching central and northern Saskatchewan: 900 CKBI, XFM and Power 99 FM.

The public can donate online at www.helpthevic.ca, drop off a donation in the hospital lobby, or call 1-855-816-LIFE(5433) to make a pledge.

teena.monteleone@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @TeenaMonteleone