Sarasota Memorial Nurses Welcome Every Baby Home
 SARASOTA (May 11, 2010) – New moms and dads are leaving Sarasota Memorial Hospital with more than their bundles of joy. They’re also leaving with greater confidence in their parenting skills and the health of their newborn knowing a reassuring house call is just a few days away.
Sarasota Memorial began offering free home nurse visits last year to ensure the very best health outcomes for the moms who had no medical insurance and were paying for their hospital stay out of pocket. Parents found the visits so helpful Sarasota Memorial quickly expanded the free house calls to ALL new moms.
The specially trained Mother-Baby Registered Nurses assess mom’s recovery and how the baby is progressing in their new environment-home. The nurses look for common health issues, such as signs of jaundice, post partum depression and how well the baby is feeding. While in the home, they are able to weigh the baby, provide mothers with additional education on self and newborn care, as well as, answer any questions they may have. The RNs are also certified lactation consultants who can fully meet the needs of the mothers who desire to breastfeed their newborns. Being able to offer individual support to our newest mothers in the community is a commitment of wellness Sarasota Memorial embraces.
“It can be quite overwhelming in the beginning, especially if the mom is having trouble breastfeeding or not getting enough sleep,” said Mary Lewis, RN, one of Sarasota Memorial’s mother-baby home care nurses. “I’ve had moms burst into tears just a few minutes into our visit.
“But that’s the beauty of this program, it’s very individualized. For that hour we are in their home – or longer if they need us – they have our undivided attention to help them through any fears or issues they are dealing with.”
The free one-hour nurse visit is scheduled at the mother’s convenience usually during her first week home. The service is provided by Sarasota Memorial Home Care, a Medicare-certified, licensed and accredited home health agency. Sarasota Memorial’s private duty nurses and home health professionals provide care and support not only for new moms and babies, but anyone who needs a little extra care or support at home. Additional breastfeeding support is also offered.
Anme Bass was delighted to hear about the new program after delivering her second son, Aiden, at Sarasota Memorial in March. She had planned to return home as soon as possible to her firstborn, Jacob, not yet two.
“You want to do everything right, but you don’t always know what the right thing is,” she said after scheduling her home nurse visit a week after she left the hospital. “It was nice having a nurse right there in my own living room, answering questions that didn’t occur to me when I was in the hospital and understanding things I never learned the first time around.”
For more information about the Mother-Baby Home Nurse program or other home care services Sarasota Memorial provides, call (941) 917-7730.
Date Published: May 11, 2010
Media Contact: Meghann Ryan
Phone: (941) 917-6219 |
