Inspira Health Network

Intensive Care for the Littlest Patients The Deborah F. Sager Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Inspira Medical Center Vineland is a Level IIIa center equipped to care for preemies who arrive as early as 28 weeks and other critically ill newborns. Staffed by nurses trained to care for high-risk, low-weight newborns and with Nemours neonatologists available on site 24/7, the NICU provides around-the-clock care and support for infants who require intensive medical care. Time of Crisis S h ow n h e r e a t t w o w e e k s, J ul i an n e G a r r is on s p ent 73 days i n t h e D e b orah F . S a ger N eon a t a l I n ten si ve C a r e Un i t a t In s p ira M e di ca l C e nte r Vi n el a nd . FINDING FAMILY IN A Inspira Health Network Family & Friends When Cara and Bruce Garrison welcomed their daughter Julianne nearly three months before her due date, they knew they were in for a fight. They didn't know they would have around-the-clock help from an "extended family" they had yet to meet. Cara was admitted to Inspira Medical Center Vineland at 10:15 a.m. on Nov 17, just days after her six-month prenatal visit. Less than three hours later, Julianne was born, weighing in at two pounds, 12 ounces. A returning urinary tract infection may have caused Cara's body to go into labor early. Luckily, Julianne was born in a hospital where the care she needed was close at hand. "Doctors rushed Julianne straight to the NICU [Neonatal Intensive Care Unit] as soon as she was born," Cara said. "Her lungs looked good — she only had to be on a respirator for 12 hours — but her digestive system wasn't fully developed." The Long Haul In the Deborah F. Sager Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Julianne was hooked to a feeding tube, a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine and several IVs. The Garrisons settled in for an extended stay while their daughter grew strong enough to survive, and eventually thrive. But they didn't do it alone. "The nurses and doctors we met in the NICU became our second family," Cara said. "Even on the hardest days, they would encourage us, make us laugh or just chat about life." Julianne stayed in the NICU for 73 days. When it was time for her to head home, nurses asked to be on the schedule so they wouldn't miss the send off, and the department held a going-away party for the little guest of honor. "The entire NICU staff embraced us," Cara said. "They did extra things, like having Christmas in the unit with carolers, laughing about Julianne's favorite trick — trying to pull out her feeding tube — and cheering us on. It made an impression on me I'll never forget." Cara considers herself a "veteran of the NICU club," a group she never intended joining. Today, she and Bruce work to support other families with preemies by participating in the March of Dimes. As for little Julianne, who now weighs 15½ pounds, she's thriving at home, able to hold her bottle and sit up by herself, and stand up with help. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MATERNITY CARE, VISIT www.InspiraHealthNetwork.org/maternity-services. FALL 2014 3 " Finding a local NICU isn't something you want to think about when you're pregnant. We didn't even consider the possibility we'd need one. But when we did, we felt lucky that Inspira Medical Center Vineland was there." — Cara Garrison

• Cover