Early this year, Summerlin Hospital Medical Center welcomed a new addition to its maternity center, The BirthPlace. The hospital opened its new nine-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to care for the smallest and sickest of babies. A NICU, also known as a Level III Nursery, is the highest level of nursery care for newborns. Summerlin's is the only one of its kind in the western suburbs of Las Vegas, and one of just four in the area.

Advanced services
Families now have the option of staying closer to home to get care for high-risk pregnancies, multiple births (such as twins and triplets) or cases where prematurity is a concern. "For the first time, babies of any gestational age, from the tiniest newborn to full-term babies with complications, are able to get the specialized neonatal services they need right here in Summerlin from a team of neonatal specialists," says Marc Leitner, MD, Medical Director of the new NICU. A physician with Pediatrix Medical Group, Dr. Leitner is board certified in neonatology and pediatrics.

Family-centered care
The new unit mixes advanced care with comfort. "We provide family-centered care in a comfortable environment," says Joanna Bacon, RN, Manager of The BirthPlace maternity unit. "The combination of private postpartum suites for moms and greater space surrounding NICU beds means families have plenty of privacy and room to bond with their new babies, while those babies get the critical care they need."

Growing commitment
Summerlin Hospital has seen a tremendous increase in births over the last year -- going from 90 births a month in 2002 to 190 in 2003. "We added the NICU to our pre-existing advanced care nursery in response to the growing needs of our community," says Leslie Paul Luke, CEO/Managing Director of Summerlin Hospital.

The NICU is a 2,789-square-foot unit comprised of patient care areas, a nursing station, a physician work area and a family waiting area. "This new service represents a significant investment of dollars and resources by the hospital to our community," Luke says. In total, almost $600,000 worth of equipment was purchased, and 14 new nurses and respiratory therapists were added to the staff.

Parents bond with their babies while using infant massage techniques at a recent class.

Human touch
This winter, Summerlin Hospital offered an infant massage certification course to its maternity and NICU nurses. "There have been so many advances in technology that help us care for sick and premature babies that sometimes it is easy to lose sight of the human touch element of care," says Bacon.

Babies from the NICU and those who are full term have benefited from the massage class along with their parents. "The class has given our nurses new skills to use when comforting babies in our care, as well as given us a tool to show parents that can create a wonderful bonding experience," Bacon says.

Infant security
Infant security is an important issue for every maternity unit, but Summerlin Hospital has broken new ground in Las Vegas by offering a special component in infant protection to match moms with their newborns. A new component of the Hugs^® Infant Protection System by Xmark, called Kisses^TM, automatically confirms that the right baby is with the right mom by giving an audible signal to indicate a match or mismatch.

Partnership with families
The FamilyPlace, Summerlin Hospital's childbirth education program, has expanded its programming to offer classes on a wider range of topics for families. "The new classes and support groups offered by The FamilyPlace were designed to meet the needs of families as they grow and change over time," says Bacon.

Classes and checkups offered through The FamilyPlace now include free car seat checks, babysitting classes and prenatal yoga. The Whole Birth Yoga class, the latest addition, uses basic Hatha Yoga poses and relaxation techniques to comfort women during their pregnancies, while preparing their bodies for labor. Pregnant women even learn to relieve certain physical discomforts common in pregnancy by using stretching and breathing techniques.

Summerlin Sam, left, and Ronald McDonald, right, give the donation a thumbs-up. Standing between them, from left, are Leslie Paul Luke, CEO/Managing Director of Summerlin Hospital; Tom Warden, an executive with The Howard Hughes Corporation; and JoAnn Malone, Executive Director of the Ronald McDonald House of Las Vegas.

Donation Provides Car Seats for Babies in Need
Because of a $10,000 donation by Ronald McDonald House of Greater Las Vegas and The Howard Hughes Corporation, premature babies born at Summerlin Hospital Medical Center will have a safe ride home and a healthy start on life. The two organizations have teamed up to provide The BirthPlace at Summerlin Hospital with special lay-down car seats for families in need. The lay-down car seats are designed to safely carry babies who were born prematurely and still weigh less than five pounds.

With the addition of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Summerlin Hospital, the number of premature babies being cared for at the hospital will increase as will the need for these car seats by families upon their departure.

"Taking a new baby home from the hospital is a monumental day in the lives of parents. And now, thanks to this generous donation by Ronald McDonald House and The Howard Hughes Corporation, the families of our most critical young patients can feel safe buckling up their infants for the first time," says Leslie Paul Luke, CEO/Managing Director of Summerlin Hospital.

The FamilyPlace at Summerlin Hospital
May Class Schedule

3, 10, 17	7-9:30 PM	Prepared Childbirth	$80
4	7-9 PM	Breastfeeding Basics	$30
5	7-9 PM	Basic Infant Care & Safety	$30
11, 18, 25	7-9:30 PM	Prepared Childbirth	$80
12	5-7 PM	Car Seat Checks	FREE
13	7-9 PM	Basic Infant Care & Safety	$30
20	7-8 PM	Sibling Class	$20
24	7-9 PM	Basic Infant Care & Safety	$30
25	11:30 AM-1 PM	Infant Massage for Parents of Newborns	$20
28	7-8:30 PM	Infant Massage for Expectant Parents	$20

For a complete list of upcoming classes offered by The FamilyPlace, visit us online at www.summerlinhospital.org/familyplace.

The Valley Health System c/o Valley Hospital Medical Center 620 Shadow Lane Las Vegas, NV 89106