Patients, nurses reconnect at Special Care Nursery reunion at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital
Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital recently held the 27th reunion for families with children who stayed in the hospital's Special Care Nursery after birth.
"We are so excited to host the reunion again after a four-year pause due to COVID," said Dawn Stanley, MSN, RNC, director of the New Life Maternity Center at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital. "It's so wonderful to see how far the graduates have come since leaving the Special Care Nursery."
For Geneva mom Abby Blair, the reunion was a chance to see the nurse who stayed with her and her daughter, Everly, throughout their stay at the Geneva hospital.
Everly, now 7 months old, was born early at 34 weeks. She spent three weeks in the Special Care Nursery for breathing and feeding assistance. Abby herself spent a month at Delnor Hospital after pregnancy complications.
"When Everly was born, we weren't able to follow the birth plan we had in place," Blair said. "My nurse stayed with me from the time I left the emergency room until Everly and I went home. She did so much to calm my nerves and made me feel less alone during an often-scary time. I'm so excited to see her again and show her how much Everly is thriving."
The more than 100 families who attended the event reconnected with the nurses and doctors who provided care during their stay and meet other families who have been through similar journeys.
The rodeo-themed event featured a DJ, a train, games, ice cream and face painting, and characters Woody and Jessie from Disney's "Toy Story" attended.
Each Special Care Nursery graduate received a backpack as a gift for attending.
"It's hard enough to leave your baby with someone you know, let alone leaving them in the hospital right after they're born before they ever get to go home. It was so comforting knowing the nurses and doctors were there around the clock to care for Maizey," said Geneva mom Kristen Milarski.
After her daughter Maizey was born at 34 weeks, she spent three weeks in the Special Care Nursery. "The nurses truly became our friends during that time."
"The Special Care Nursery reunion allows families and their care teams to reconnect, often years after children have graduated from the unit," said Stanley. "The neonatologists, nurse practitioners and nurses in the Special Care Nursery care for some of the smallest and sickest newborns, and often build strong connections with the families they care for even after they leave the hospital."
About the Special Care Nursery:
Delnor Hospital's Special Care Nursery provides extra support to newborns and their families after delivery. The Special Care Nursery at Delnor Hospital is staffed 24/7 by Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital neonatologists and neonatal nurse practitioners who provide support for low birthweight infants, premature infants and term infants with complications.
The Special Care Nursery at Delnor Hospital is designated Level II with Extended Capabilities by the State of Illinois. This designation means that the state recognizes the ability to care for low-birth-weight infants (2 pounds, 12 ounces or greater), premature infants (30 or more weeks gestation), and term infants with medical complications.
For more information, visit www.nm.org.