The family of Kristen and Matt Dukes has grown recently.
At the center of the new family is the couple’s newborn daughter, Caroline, born August 18. Other people they consider as part of their expanded family are staff of North Florida Regional Medical Center.
“It’s been wonderful,” Kristen said. “Everyone has been so helpful.”
Along with the human touch, the hospital’s new Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit provided the latest high tech equipment to ease Caroline’s transition into the world. The unit includes 12 sophisticated neonatal beds.
The combination of new treatments and the latest equipment has transformed the chances of premature babies living a normal life, said Dr. Salil Gupta, medical director of the Neonatal Unit.
The normal gestation period is 39 weeks. “Today, only 5 percent of the babies born at 28 to 30 weeks need to be put on a respirator,” Gupta said. “Ten years ago, it was 50 percent.”
Gupta became a nationally known leader in implementing new standards of care and conducting research on treatment of premature babies while working at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Belleville, Ill., where he worked before coming to North Florida Regional recently.
Among the changes in treatment that he utilizes are:
- Administering steroids to mothers who are likely to deliver prematurely, which accelerates lung development of fetuses
- Treating preemies with surfactants, substances that allow the lungs to expand properly when an infant starts breathing fresh air after birth
- Limiting the use of respirators and oxygen unless absolutely necessary, due to the complications that can arise from their use
A key to baby Caroline being healthy is the care Kristen received the last two weeks of her pregnancy, which she spent on bed rest at North Florida Regional.
During the two weeks the baby grew from an estimated 3.5 pounds to 4.5 pounds, nearly reaching full development.
Once she was born, the neonatal unit’s staff wrapped her with a blanket on each side, creating a secure environment. They attached a patch with a lead that detected her heart rate, respirations and temperature.
The neonatal bed provided heat in order to maintain the baby at a normal body temperature, lights were kept dim and noise was kept to a minimum.
“We try to limit the handling of our smallest babies during the first 72 hours,” said Deborrah Furse, manager of the Neonatal Unit. “Initially, we provide an environment that is like being inside their mother.”
During the first 48 hours after the birth, Kristen remained in a hospital bed, and Matt also was able to sleep in an empty bed at North Florida Regional.
After that, the couple realized they needed some rest and traveled to their home in Lake Butler at night. “I kept calling in to check on how Caroline was doing, and the nurses always were there to reassure me,” Kristen said.
During the day throughout Caroline’s stay, Kristen and Matt were at Caroline’s bedside, taking turns feeding her.
North Florida brought in Furse from the Atlanta area to manage the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Attracting her was a tough sell at first. “The recruiter said, ‘You have to talk to these people,’” she recalled.
What clinched the deal was the caring community she found within the walls of North Florida Regional and preparations the hospital had made to prepare the unit for success. “We’ve added new doctors and nurses with NICU experience, and we’ve educated the whole hospital about what we do,” she said.
“It’s exciting to know that most families won’t have to go through the gut-wrenching experience of having their baby transferred.”
The new neonatal unit is part of the hospital’s $62 million, 92-bed expansion that opened in July.
Developing a sophisticated neonatal unit was important to Dr. Peter Sarantos, a surgeon who chairs North Florida’s Board of Trustees. His interest in the unit stems from when his daughter, Sydney, was born 15 years ago.
Sydney had to be transferred from North Florida Regional. “She was whisked off, while my wife remained here,” Sarantos said.
While the technology in the new unit is important, maintaining the hospital’s dedication to serving the community is even more important, Sarantos said.
“Our new tools help us excel, but the most important thing is that we provide compassionate patient care,” he said.