St. Luke's hosting annual NICU reunion

September 24, 2009 
 
The second floor of the Helen G. Nassif Center for Women’s and Children’s Health cares for Cedar Rapids’ most fragile new residents –— the infants in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

To celebrate another year of success stories and the progress made by NICU graduates, the annual St. Luke’s NICU reunion will take place Sunday, October 4, 2009 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Nassif Heart Center, 3rd floor of St. Luke’s Hospital.

“It’s a great opportunity for our staff to see the families,” said Dennis Rosenblum, MD, St. Luke’s NICU medical director. “We really enjoy seeing the progress of our former patients after leaving St. Luke’s NICU.”

St. Luke’s NICU cares for babies from 23 weeks to full term. Dr. Rosenblum has cared for the tiniest and sickest babies in Cedar Rapids since 1996.

“Practically all very low birth weight infants (less than 3.3 pounds), born in Cedar Rapids have been taken care of by St. Luke’s Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) during the past few decades,” said Dennis Rosenblum, MD, St. Luke’s NICU medical director. “We see about 40 of these micro preemies each year -- babies born as young as 23 weeks of pregnancy.”

Opened in 1977, St. Luke’s NICU cares for 350-400 babies each year, with 22 private NICU suites available. St. Luke’s is the area’s only Level II Regional perinatal center (by designation of the Iowa Perinatal Guidelines Advisory Committee), and a level III NICU by national guidelines set forth by the American Academy of Pediatrics. This designation means the staff’s level of expertise enables them to handle the most acute infants. In fact, other hospitals in Iowa transfer newborns to St. Luke’s, including areas as far away as Manchester and Waverly.

“Half of the St. Luke’s NICU nurses have been here ten years or more and we view our NICU families like our own,” said Sandra Lathrop, RNC, St. Luke’s NICU supervisor. “We have many nurses who have worked at St. Luke’s since the NICU opened over 30 years ago. We always enjoy catching up with former NICU patients. A lot has changed over the years. We used to have all of the babies in an open room with music playing and people talking. Now all the NICU babies have private rooms where we have the ability to tailor the temperature, sound and light to each babies needs.”

“The reunion is a great opportunity to connect with other families who have experienced the roller coaster of having a baby in the NICU,” said Karla Pisarik, St. Luke’s NICU Family Support Specialist. “There are quite a few families that still keep in contact and this annual event serves as a way to reunite them once a year.”

The free event will include refreshments, games and activities for children of all ages.

What:
St. Luke’s NICU Reunion

Who:
St. Luke’s NICU “graduates” and their families

When:
Sunday, October 4, 2009
11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Where:
St. Luke’s Hospital, Nassif Heart Center, 3rd floor

How:
It’s free, individuals may call 319/369-8160 with questions.