New Rooms Blessed at Maternity Unit
Mothers whose babies are being cared for in the special care baby unit (SCBU) at Whangarei Hospital now have a comfortable, new space to sleep in and freshen up. The two new 2-bed transitional rooms and a new ultrasound room, all with ensuites, were blessed by kaumātua and kuia at Te Kotuku Maternity Unit at Whangarei Hospital last Friday.
Director of Midwifery and service manager of Maternity Sue Bree thanked Argon Construction for getting the rooms built without disturbing the day to day running of the Unit. She also acknowledged general manager, Rural, Family & Community Health Directorate, Jeanette Wedding, for having the foresight to identify that these rooms can also be utilised for the future establishment of a Transitional Care Unit. This will mean those mothers with babies who require slightly higher levels of care can stay together in the maternity setting instead of baby being admitted to SCBU. Jeanette responded, saying the vision has always been to make the Unit a home away from home for all mama, pēpi and whānau.
Charge sonographer Deb Tansley is happy to finally see the ultrasound room come to fruition after many years of hard work. She said the ultrasound service would be able to expand their service to include pelvic examinations, making the service more efficient and most importantly, more women friendly. Up until now, pregnant women have had to go downstairs to the Radiology Department for scans. “It will be great for everyone. Our women will have a one-stop-shop. We’ll have more space to offer a proper service and clinicians will all be working in one department, on one floor - just metres apart.”
Image: Whaea Ihapera Nathan blessing one of the two new transitional rooms
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