Last Updated on July 6, 2021 by Logansport Memorial Hospital
PHOTO ABOVE: This photo of the Treatment Room in Logansport Memorial’s Family Birth Center shows some of the advanced equipment that is on-hand and ready to be used for babies who need care that we can now provide as a Level II Special Care Nursery. Our highly-trained OB nurses and staff can remain with the babies as needed and monitor them closely, providing the more specialized that may be required for babies who come into the world as early as 32 weeks gestation
While many newborns go home from the hospital with parents in a day or two after entering the world, some babies need a higher level of care. When this need becomes a reality for new parents, staying close to home and close to their babies is the highest priority. Logansport Memorial Hospital is pleased to announce that its newly renovated, state-of-the-art Family Birth Center is now designated a Level II Obstetrical and Neonatal Special Care Nursery by the state of Indiana.
The Level II Special Care Nursery at Logansport Memorial’s Family Birth Center now provides delivery and care for infants at 32 weeks or more of gestation, who weigh more than or equal to 1,500 grams (around 3.3 pounds). These infants typically have conditions such as respiratory problems after delivery, apnea of prematurity, inability to maintain body temperature, or inability to take food by mouth,and require more specialized care and attention than infants delivered closer to full-term (40 weeks gestation). Advanced clinical services, cutting-edge monitoring technology, and specially trained staff on-site are all part of the compassionate, specialized care that patients and families can rely on in our Level II Special Care Nursery when needed.
Even after receiving this designation for an advanced level of care, Logansport Memorial Hospital’s Family Birth Center still retains its partnerships and networks for access to Level III and Level IV NICUs when moms and babies need it. The network of affiliates that LMH belongs to includes the St. Vincent Women’s Hospital in Indianapolis and other NICUs closer to home, like Franciscan St. Elizabeth in Lafayette. Participating in partnerships and affiliate networks like these ensures that timely access to care is available for the moms and babies we serve at any time.
“When we redesigned and renovated our Family Birth Center, we knew that this Level II designation was an important milestone for us to achieve in this new space,” commented Tara McVay, Chief Nursing Officer for Logansport Memorial Hospital. “We know that as families begin thinking about where to deliver their babies, having advanced capabilities for on-site specialty care can provide peace of mind. Now, the families that we are privileged to serve in Cass and surrounding counties throughout north central Indiana have an option for receiving care close to home if or when their newborns need specialized services. I am very proud of our team and their hard work in making this possible for our community.”
Jade Herr, RN, Director of Obstetrics also commented, “Our team of OB/GYNs, pediatricians, nurses, and lactation consultants really collaborated and prioritized this designation so that we could do more and give more to our patients. We have always been equipped and ready to provide the specialized care our moms may need. But during the delivery process, we end up with two patients –mom, and new baby. No family ever wants to learn that their beautiful newborn may need neonatal or specialized healthcare after he or she arrives, or possibly even before. So when that happens, we are proud to now offer the services required to ensure the most positive outcome possible –caring for both of our patients and keeping mom and baby together, close to home where they feel most comfortable.”
To earn the official Level II designation, Logansport Memorial Hospital had to meet a range of stringent standards above and beyond the high quality of care they were already providing.The Level II Special Care Nursery at Logansport Memorial’s Family Birth Center received its official designation in June.Patients delivering in the Family Birth Center can now take advantage of these services for their newborns, if needed. Logansport Memorial Hospital provides the only Level II Special Care Nursery in Cass, Fulton, Miami, Carroll, and White counties.