A little help goes a long way

annual campaign Neonatal Intensive

Care Unit friendsfoundation.ca Playing a Critical Role APPENDIX A for Babies at Risk. Births and Admissions to Neonatal ICU For parents and families, the miracle of birth is a Fiscal Year Total Births Neonates Admitted % Admitted to treasured experience filled with the excitement and to Neonatal ICU Neonatal ICU anticipation of seeing their baby for the first time. For some, this can also be a time of great worry 2005-06 1,161 650 56 and stress when the newborn needs specialized 2006-07 1,128 640 57 care because they arrive prematurely with a medical 2007-08 1,209 659 55 complication. 2008-09 1,238 698 56 Tiny and frail, often with underdeveloped organs, 2009-10 1,359 570 42 difficulty breathing and taking nutrition, the premature baby must continue to develop outside the womb. Their growth and development will depend on the What is NNICU? skills of doctors and nurses in the Neonatal Intensive The Neonatal provides Care Unit (NNICU). It also depends on having the specialized care for premature and other special needs infants which means that state-of-the-art tools to ensure our premies survival. premature or sick newborns have a much better chance to survive and thrive. The NNICU at The (TMH) is a “We deal with some very ill babies. It is tertiary care service and is one of only three in the extremely gratifying to be able to provide province; Fredericton and Saint John are home to the other the proper care and nurture these tiny, fragile human beings. There is nothing two. The birthrate, which has fallen over the last twenty better than to see a baby thrive and the joy years, is now seeing an increase and close to half of the of the parents when their child gets through babies born in our hospital are admitted to NNICU for some very trying times.” specialized care. Brenda Houser, RN NNIC Nurse Manager “ The Moncton Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is one of 23 across the country that constitute the Canadian Each baby is important and deserves the best care pos- Neonatal Network which works to improve sible. Some babies stay just a few days while others may research and care in neonatal need intensive care for several weeks. We have some of the intensive care units.” finest specially trained neonatal medical professionals in the Dr. Rody Canning Region. In fact, 2 of the 5 Neonatologists in Neonatologist Chief of Pediatrics are at TMH; Dr. Rody Canning and Dr. Marc Blayney. That The Moncton Hospital being said, our current NNICU is in need of an upgrade to replace aging equipment, as some pieces are over 24 years old and are becoming obsolete. Current technology is During the fiscal year 2009/10, TMH welcomed over required so that our premature or sick newborns have a 1,369 babies representing a 14.5% increase in deliveries in much better chance to survive and thrive. the last 5 years. (SEE APPENDIX A) This increasing birthrate trend is reflected across the country after many years of decline. Of those 1,369 deliveries, 570 were admitted to NNICU requiring varying levels of specialized care.

1 To address this challenge, the Friends of The Moncton “The Women and Children’s Health Team is proud of the service provided to the Hospital Foundation has set a $700,000 fundraising goal women and their families who select The to purchase updated equipment required in a NNICU, Moncton Hospital to celebrate the birth allowing staff to provide optimal care for neonates. The of their newborn. We strive to offer the best care, state of the art technology Moncton Hospital is a birthing place of choice for families and supportive environment. However, in our region and beyond. NNICU receives referrals from some of the equipment in the NNICU is becoming outdated and needs to other regions of the province as well as babies from be replaced. The health professionals Northern , PEI and Quebec. (SEE APPENDIX B) delivering the care to our mothers and Some hospitals in New Brunswick cannot provide care for babies would support such a campaign and be totally energized to continue babies under 30 weeks, therefore TMH NNICU is critical providing the best care for mothers for all New Brunswickers and surrounding areas both inside and babies in our community.” and outside the province. Claire LeBlanc Director, Women and Children’s Health The NNICU is designed to meet every care requirement for , Moncton Zone premature and sick babies. TMH believes that exemplary clinical and compassionate care in the right environment is critical to an infant’s growth and development. The APPENDIX B traumatic impact on new parents, who see their precious Place of Residence for Babies born at baby struggle for life, and their feelings of utter powerlessness The Moncton Hospital Fiscal Year 2009/2010 in the situation, must not be underestimated. HEALTH REG 1 - Moncton Area 1,202 79.1%

HEALTH REG 2 - Saint John Area 57 7.6% We need your inspirational gift to help us save our tiniest and HEALTH REG 3 - Fredericton Area 2 0.3% most fragile patients. HEALTH REG 4 - Edmundston Area 2 0.3% Mission HEALTH REG 5 - Campbellton Area 7 0.9% The mission of the women’s and children’s health program is HEALTH REG 6 - Bathurst Area 7 0.9% to provide and promote excellence in family-centred care women and children. HEALTH REG 7 - Miramichi Area 15 2.0%

NOVA SCOTIA 59 7.8% Vision To be the leaders and experts in the delivery of care and P.E.I. 2 0.3% services to women, children and their families. OTHER 6 0.8%

annual campaign Neonatal Intensive Care Unit friendsfoundation.ca Our babies and their families accessibility - several people can work on a baby simply deserve better. at one time - which is often necessary for the most Look at what we will be buying for our neonates. critically ill babies. Babies need to be in a warm and comfortable environment Isolettes to support their development. “We can’t have babies getting (formally known as incubators) cold, as cold can be damaging and makes the babies more An isolette keeps the baby warm with unstable,” says Dr. Canning. A radiant warmer means our moistened air in a clean environment, babies don’t have to be covered which helps when staff and helps to protect the baby from assess the baby. The warmers can also be set to maintain noise. These are small beds the baby’s temperature at a steady rate. Other features enclosed by clear, hard plastic. include a built-in scale that can chart weight trends and a The temperature of the isolette is rotating mattress, so the baby doesn’t have to be moved. controlled and closely monitored because premature infants frequently have difficulty maintaining their body temperature. RetCam Holes in the isolettes allow access to the infants so the nurses We will be the first in the province and doctors can examine the infants and parents can touch to have a RetCam; a digital imaging their babies. This equipment provides premature babies the system capable of capturing ophthalmic best fighting chance for a healthy life by helping to prevent images from the smallest premature developmental delay or developmental disabilities which infant to young children. It is a digital could require years of costly , intervention, and camera for imaging the retina of infants medical care. The isolettes are in dire need of replacement that is used by health professionals to obtain photos that can as the technology is changing. In fact, the isolettes be transferred to a network, allowing viewing and analysis presently available in the Neonatal ICU have different by ophthalmologists who specialize in the screening and years of purchase from 1986 to 2001. treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity which is a leading cause of childhood blindness. It is critical that there be as little noise and light as “Retinopathy of prematurity is an possible for our neonates as this is key in the development abnormal growth of the blood vessels of normal brain activity. The new tech equipment is quiet in an infant’s eye and is a potentially devastating disease that necessitates and dimly lit to simulate the womb as closely as possible frequent, intensive screening of premies. ...and this is what we must be able to offer our sick babies. About seven percent of very small premature babies develop retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), and the resulting “Premature babies need a great deal of damage may range from needing glasses special care to survive. Because they lack to blindness. Experts know what causes the body fat necessary to maintain their ROP, but oxygen levels (either too low or body temperature, even when swaddled too high) are only one of the contributing with blankets, isolettes and radiant factors. Premature babies receive eye warmers are necessary to keep these exams in the NNICU to check for this babies warm.” condition. This would be a huge boon for the department and for the province as Dr. Rody Canning Neonatologist we will be the first to have one.” Chief of Pediatrics The Moncton Hospital Dr. Rody Canning Neonatologist Chief of Pediatrics The Moncton Hospital Radiant Warmers NNICU requires new radiant warmers that are used when babies The digital capability also enables remote image transfer, require any medical procedures to so that the clinician no longer needs to be in the same be done and are designed to keep room or even the same country, as the patient. The RetCam the baby’s temperature stable. Unlike has a pricetag of $74,400 and will be a tremendous isolettes, these are wide open for enhancement to NNICU’s ability to care for our sick babies.

3 Right now in our NNICU, without a RetCam, an The NNICU is currently utilizing at least three different Ophthalmologist assesses neonates by (identified as software levels depending on the age of the monitors. high risk by the neonatologist and referred to the Upgrading all the monitors to the same software level opthamologist) drawing a diagram of the retina as will improve workflow, as right now there are 18 bedside he/she sees it. A RetCam takes an actual photograph monitors that need to be adjusted differently. and is a more precise evaluation of retina development. A major highlight of these upgrades will be that medical staff “Monitors allow us to see any can monitor two babies at once. A split-screen option will deviations from the norm and prevents our babies from having episodes of hypoxia be available on all monitors, allowing any baby who is (lack of oxygen)... we act on those under a critical watch to be constantly monitored - while deviations.” checking the vitals of the other babies at the same time. Dr. Rody Canning Standardization of the software levels across the NNICU Neonatologist Chief of Pediatrics care area will also make clinical education of the monitors to The Moncton Hospital new staff easier and less time consuming. This upgrade would be a significant improvement to the current system. This procedure is done for all babies under 36 weeks who need oxygen for treatment. A RetCam will allow an Over $700,000 will be spent on Enhancing NNICU Ophthalmologist in other centres to share digital results Services at The Moncton Hospital (TMH) for better with a specialist off-site, in a more timely and rapid patient care for our sick babies manner, to determine possible treatement. This means earlier intervention which could reduce incidence if blindness in these infants. The RetCam will not prevent Detailed Equipment vision loss but will allow medical team to see possible List NNICU vision problems in advance and arrange intervention if Cost estimate for Equipment in Neonatal ICU needed, much earlier than can be done presently.

Neonatal ICU NNICU also requires a vital Clinical Systems Cardiac Item Description Per unit Total Monitors upgrade. Isolettes $32,404 $486,060 Babies are monitored because many are not born with a mature internal Radiant Warmer for newborns $21,235 $84,940 control regulatory mechanism for Clinical Systems Cardiac $97,639 $97,639 stimulating heart rate and breathing. Monitors Upgrade Consequently, many need treatment to remind them to Retcam Shuttle Wide Field $74,400 $74,400 breathe and keep their heart beating. Digital imaging System

Monitors provide the medical team with constant heart rate, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation levels throughout a 24 hour period. If any of these vital signs being monitored deviate from the set parameters, an alarm will sound, indicating that immediate action is required.

annual campaign Neonatal Intensive Care Unit friendsfoundation.ca DID YOU KNOW? A clear misson, a critical role A premature infant (known as a preemie) is born before the The Friends of The Moncton Hospital is now committed 37th week of gestation. While some premature babies can to making an even more significant and positive impact survive without special help, many need extra medical care to the care of premature babies by purchasing the latest in a neonatal intensive care unit (NNICU) for their first few technology for their care – making it a beacon for neonatal weeks. A NNICU is designed to limit stress on the infant care in New Brunswick. and meet basic needs of warmth, nutrition, and protection to Larry Nelson assure proper growth and development. Friends Chair

About 9 percent of Canadian infants are born prematurely. The friends... transforming in our community Babies who weigh less than three pounds five ounces at since 1965. birth are most likely to develop complications; any baby weighing less than five and a half pounds needs some special help. WE HAVE DONE GREAT THINGS. Community support is a part of The Moncton Hospital’s Age in premature babies is often defined in the number of heritage. Since the Friends was formed in 1965, the weeks after the baby was conceived until the baby is 40 Foundation has honoured and maintained this tradition of weeks old, which is the average age of a full-term baby. giving and volunteerism. The Friends is the fund raising arm of our health care. By working together, the Foundation has Cause enabled The Moncton Hospital to respond to changing There are many causes of preterm delivery; usually, the health care needs and to maintain a state-of-the-art cause is not within the mother’s control. She could have a medical facility. hormone imbalance, a physically abnormal uterus, or a chronic illness or infection. Preterm delivery is also more The Friends can be proud of its past and its contribution likely to occur if a woman is over age 35, under age 19, to the enhancement in health care in our region. In or carrying multiple babies. Sometimes the cause is simply 2009/2010 $700,000 was raised. Before that, the unknown. Other times, the problem may have been Friends saw $700,000 generated through The Small triggered by the mother’s lifestyle choices during pregnancy: Bandaid Campaign to purchase and redesign two new, specially equipped surgical suites. This revolutionary, • smoking minimally invasive integrated operating room technology, • abusing alcohol or drugs to be located on the on the first floor in the Main Operating • poor nutrition Room at The Moncton Hospital, will be ready for use in • not gaining enough weight late fall. In 2007/2008, $1.1 million was raised for • exposure to physical stress mammography technology which has helped cut wait times • poor prenatal care in half!. The year prior, $1.3 million was realized for a new Centre. Plans are close to being finalized and Symptoms will be announced in late 2010. Before that, the Foundation Because they are born before development has been celebrated a successful Healthy Returns Capital Campaign completed, premature infants often have problems with which raised $7.5 million. The result of these funds, feeding, breathing, maintaining body temperature, and combined with the province of New Brunswick’s $41 fighting infections. In general, the smaller (and more million commitment is a new Ambulatory Care Centre, a premature) the baby, the more likely and more serious new Trauma/Emergency department, a state-of-the-art the problems. Because of modern technology, more than Laboratory and an enclosed ambulance entrance and 90 percent of premature babies who weigh a little less underground parking. than two pounds survive. Those who weigh a little more than one pound have a 40 percent to 50 percent chance of survival, although their chances of complications are greater. They are prone to a number of problems, primarily because their internal organs are not completely ready to function on their own.

5 THE FRIENDS OF THE MONCTON HOSPITAL’S ANNUAL CAMPAIGN 2010. This campaign is volunteer driven. Many assist by canvassing donors, helping with the direct mail component, holding fund raisers as well as other support duties, all focusing on the Friends of The Moncton Hospital’s Annual Campaign 2010. The campaign is launched in October with the anticipation of reaching the goal in April 2011.

It is vitally important to keep current with new technology, updated equipment and renovated spaces to provide quality patient care. We must help ensure that The Moncton Hospital is in a position to respond appropriately to our community’s health care needs.

Won’t you please join us by making a gift to The Friends of The Moncton Hospital’s Annual Campaign 2010? As you know, The Moncton Hospital is committed to providing you with the optimal care and the very best treatment. To do that, we need to have the finest equipment and facilities for the job. That is why your help is so critical.

Why support means so much to so many “The significance of the Friends of The Moncton Hospital’s Annual Campaign 2010 is great, as is the importance of having the community’s support to continue providing optimal care for our fragile babies.” Maria Cormie Dr. Jeff Mowat 2010 Campaign Co-Chairs

Won’t you help us save the lives of our youngest patients? For more information about this opportunity to make a difference, please contact the Foundation at 506 857-5488 or visit our website at www.friendsfoundation.ca. Follow us on Twitter and become our fan on Facebook.

annual campaign Neonatal Intensive Care Unit friendsfoundation.ca annual campaign Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

friendsfoundation.ca