There’s no greater need for new
parents than to know that they’ll be in good hands if their newborn needs
intensive care in the hours or days after birth. Generations of parents in the
Fredericksburg region have depended on Mary Washington Hospital to give them
the peace of mind that those needs will be met.
Thanks to a $5 million donation
from Joe and Mary Wilson—whose granddaughter was cared for in the Mary
Washington Hospital neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) 22 years ago—the
hospital recently opened a significant expansion of this Level III intensive-care
facility. The inviting new NICU demonstrates Mary Washington Healthcare’s
continued response to the need to provide enhanced support for maternal and
fetal health in the Fredericksburg region.
A Growing Need to
Support Mothers and Babies
“The high-risk population in
our community and surrounding area for moms expecting babies is at the highest
it’s ever been,” said NICU Nurse Manager Nancy Young. “We are seeing more
pre-eclampsia, more gestational diabetes. We are seeing just more complicated
pregnancies, and that tells us we may have more babies in need of neonatal
intensive care, whether it be for 24 hours, because of a delayed transition, or
they’re born premature at 22 weeks, and they’re with us for 100 days.”
The new and expanded NICU
facility doubles the square footage available in which to care for these
tiniest patients. The new Joe and Mary Wilson NICU has 20 private rooms with a
5-bed open ward. This allows for a new level of comfort, as parents can enjoy
privacy with their baby in a single private room.
“We can really support that
early bonding between parents and babies, in an environment that feels more
like home,” Young said.
“The design for this unit is
well thought out with the needs of the family in mind,” said Dr. Arslan Arshad,
a neonatologist with Mary Washington Healthcare. “We have a small pod where
babies who are extremely sick can get the extra attention they need. Babies who
are stable enough can be in their private rooms with their mother, extended
family and siblings. We cater to the emotional needs of the family and giving
them that opportunity of being a parent and celebrating this occasion—it’s an
important part of how we built this unit.”
A pullout couch and recliner in
the rooms enable caregivers to grab rest when needed in between consultations
with NICU staff, who provide hands-on instruction to help parents learn to care
for their fragile newborns. Brand-new, state-of-the-art equipment and décor
that promotes calm and peace create a welcoming environment. Little touches
like night lights in the rooms aim to make families feel at home.
“The intensive care experience
that we can offer now with more space is so important for our region,” Young
said. “As the number of babies in need of this level of care has risen, Mary
Washington Healthcare and the community have come together to create a safe
place that offers that Level III intensive care that will hopefully help us be
able to send babies home sooner.”
Arshad said the locally owned
nonprofit health system has been working for years to be able to ensure that
parents can access the level of care their newborns need without driving out of
the region. He said planning for the new expansion sought to meet the region’s
needs for the next 20 to 30 years.
Experience Matters
The Joe and Mary Wilson NICU is
the region’s most experienced Level III NICU. It is staffed 24/7 by
board-certified neonatologists from Children’s National Hospital. Specialists
from both Children’s National and Virginia Commonwealth University [AL1] connect local families with pediatric
subspecialties close to their homes, so parents can spend less time driving,
and more time getting to know their newborns.
The highly specialized team
also includes neonatal nurse practitioners, registered nurses, respiratory
therapists, physical and occupational therapists, case managers, dietitians and
lactation consultants.
That kind of care creates
lasting memories during a time that is very stressful for new families. Young
said the staff on the unit occasionally get visits from families with grown
children who started their lives at Mary Washington.
“Just last week we had a family
visit. They had their 18-year-old son with them, and they said, ‘This is where
you were born. This is the NICU that took care of you and saved you.’ And we
had this spontaneous reunion,” Young said. “They said, ‘Mary Washington NICU
was our first family.’”
A Community Commitment
This expansion is part of Mary
Washington Healthcare’s ongoing investment in women’s and children’s services.
For parents, it means having
peace of mind during one of life’s most vulnerable moments.
Learn More
To learn more about Mary
Washington Hospital’s NICU and maternity care, visit
MyBaby.mwhc.com.
