Families with newborn babies in Campbell River and North Vancouver Island will get an extra level of care thanks to support from Variety - The Children’s Charity.
The charity recently provided the Campbell River Hospital Foundation with funding to purchase a Neonatal Jaundice Meter and Fetal Monitor for the maternity department at Campbell River Hospital.
“On average, there are 400 babies born in the Campbell River Hospital and with 566 newborn patient days annually,” says Stacey Marsh, Hospital Foundation executive director. “We are proud to work with a partner like Variety - The Children’s Charity. Their help makes an enormous difference to Campbell River and North Vancouver Island.”
Jaundice is seen in 30 to 60 per cent of full-term newborns and in nearly all premature infants, and occurs when a baby develops high levels of bilirubin, a byproduct of the normal breakdown of red blood cells.
A jaundice meter shines a light on the baby’s skin to measure yellowish skin tones and is capable of replacing visual checks, which are not always accurate.
A Fetal Monitor is used to monitor the baby in uteri as well as during labour, this allows staff to know if labour is progressing normally and if there are any complications and if the baby is in distress.
Because the staff is able to observe with the monitor, they can prepare in a calm organized manner rather than react in the event a crisis does occur.
“Many families tell us that having a newborn baby can be both a joyful but also stressful experience,” says Bernice Scholten, executive director of Variety - The Children’s Charity.
“By providing funding for the hospital’s new equipment, we’re standing with the health care team, helping them to deliver the best care possible to their tiniest patients, and alleviating some of the concern for the parents.”