Neonatal to home service launches

Each year more than 1600 sick and premature babies and their families are cared for in the Grantley Stable Neonatal Unit at Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.

For many families, this means their newborn is cared for in hospital for weeks and even months before going home for the first time.

When the most exciting milestone arrives, and these babies go home for the very first time, it can be a daunting experience for new and even seasoned parents.

The Grantley Stable Neonatal Unit (GSNU) has launched a new Neonatal Nurse Clinic to provide care for families for a short-time after they leave the hospital.

Neonatal Nurse and Discharge Coordinator Angela Hyland said the nurse-led clinic assists parents with the transition to home and aims to bridge the gap between hospital and community care.

“Continuity of care for our patients and their families is very important to us, and we know for some parents going home with a newborn who has had a long-stay in hospital or experienced other complications or vulnerabilities can be challenging,” Angela said.

“Our goal is to provide a step of care between the hospital and community, and to provide parents with as much information about what other healthcare services exist, like our community child health nurses, and help connect them to those services.

“It’s also a wonderful opportunity for our staff to check in with the families and offer advice on things like feeding and answer any questions parents may have.”

First time parents Kristy and Lachlan Black were the first to be welcomed into the new service in May following a five week stay in the neonatal unit for baby Lincoln.

“Lincoln arrived much sooner than expected when I began suffering from preeclampsia during my pregnancy, and he was cared for round-the-clock for five weeks in hospital before we were able to take him home for the first time,” Kristy said.

“During those weeks I kept a diary of names of all the people who helped to care for our little boy and I’ve counted more than 60 people who had a role in getting us to where we are today.

“The staff at the Grantley Stable Neonatal Unit were exceptional and we got to know them well, and it’s really heart-warming for us to be able to come back here one week after going home to be checked on by the people we trust.”