Knowing Your Child Receives Best Care
Having a sick child is stressful. Having a hospitalized child multiplies parents’ stress a hundred times – or more. Knowing your child is getting the best medical care – in the best environment – can help ease worries.
Hurley Children’s Hospital recently unveiled a groundbreaking expansion of its pediatric unit that greatly increases Hurley’s ability to treat children in private rooms, which can help speed healing and make a hospital stay less stressful.
Hurley invited the community for the new Pediatric Unit’s ribbon-cutting ceremony in February 2018.
The expansion adds 14 private pediatric rooms and other modern family-friendly touches such as a new children’s playroom, a teen game room, a nutrition center and space for staff and family on the 11th floor of the hospital.
Hurley’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) will continue to be housed on the second floor along with the existing pediatric unit. Both floors offer the same level of care for pediatric patients and families.
Heather Rayburn is nurse manager for Hurley’s pediatric intensive care and neonatal intensive care units.
Rayburn said pediatric patients are among the most vulnerable patients because of their immature immune systems. Having greater flexibility to offer private rooms helps these patients avoid germs by keeping them among
family and limiting exposure to others. “When patients must remain isolated – for influenza, for example – a normal two – or three – person room is limited to one patient,” she said.
The two-year project was funded by donations through the Hurley Foundation.
“At Hurley, we take our commitment to children very seriously. Not only do we offer a breadth of pediatric specialties alongside general pediatric care, we are now very excited to have access to this additional space allowing us to increase our frequency of offering private rooms,” said Mike Burnett of the Hurley Foundation.
The expansion doesn’t just benefit kids. Many of Hurley’s private rooms include two sleeping spaces for parents, often a reclining rocker and a couch or chair that folds out into a flat sleeping surface.
“Having more private rooms means having the capability for both parents or caregivers to stay at the bedside to assist in their loved one’s recovery,” Rayburn said. “It allows the family to essentially have their own home unit within the hospital to receive expert care with a home-environment feel.”
And everybody sleeps easier. “Rest is critical for a healing child,” Rayburn said. “If sleep is interrupted by another child’s needs, the ability to get better is compromised.”
Hurley Children’s Hospital continues to grow to improve the health of area children, thanks to funds from the Hurley Foundation, among others.
Money raised by the foundation’s 37th annual Hurley Ball will go to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.
“We rely heavily on our community’s support from continuously improve our facilities’ capabilities,” Rayburn said.
By Helen Bas
Kudos Magazine 4.1