Welcome!Dahlia Brigham, Fundraising Manager

Happy New Year, may 2010 be a happy, healthy and prosperous year for you and your family.

Welcome to this, our inaugural newsletter for RPA Newborn Care. The purpose of our newsletter is to provide you with updates on our department and keep you abreast of developments, activities, news and stories.

For many of us RPA Newborn Care holds a very special place in our hearts and a memorable time in our lives. Most of us were introduced to this department at a time which was often happy and sad, difficult and painful. However with the care and support of an exceptional team of professionals, this period passed and we all moved on to a “normal” life with a beautiful baby (or babies) to love, nurture and bear witness to every milestone in their precious life.

Though some of our patients are born at RPA, many are transferred from other hospitals around Sydney and NSW. Around 900 babies are treated at RPA Newborn Care every year and in the 36 years of service over 29,000 babies have been cared for. Most of our babies are premature; however many are full-term babies with an illness following birth such as respiratory distress, low blood sugar levels, jaundice and congenital abnormalities.

I have been working in the not- for- profit sector for most of my life; however my introduction to RPA Newborn Care was four years ago when Hugo our first grandchild was born. Unlike most babies in the neonatal intensive care unit, Hugo was not premature and was transferred by the NETS team from another hospital. My family and I are extremely grateful and feel very blessed that Hugo is now a healthy, bright and beautiful four year old little boy we absolutely adore.

RPA Newborn Care greatly relies on your support and generosity to purchase much needed life saving equipment and fund important projects and programs. Funding is critical to ensure the best and most up-to-date equipment is available to maintain the world class standard of our intensive care unit. Your support is instrumental in assisting the exceptional team whose sole objective is to save the lives of very sick babies and provide them with the best possible start in life.

I look forward to receiving your feedback and meeting you in our upcoming events. Please feel free to contact me anytime on 9515 8456 or dahlia.brigham@sswahs.nsw.gov.au

On behalf of each and every one of us at RPA Newborn Care, thank you so much for your loyalty and continued support.

Dahlia

RPA NEWBORN CARE NEWSLETTER

February 2010

Hugo, November 2009

Post:RPA Newborn CareReply Paid 193Missenden Road NSW 2050

RPANewbornCare

News from nursing departmentSimon Burke

2009 has been a busy year for the Neonatal ICU. We have recently had four students go through the College of Nursing to attain Graduate Certificates in Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing. Several students have completed the Introduction to NICU Nursing. We have participated in fund raising activities such as the Balmoral Burn. Unfortunately we lost our champions crown to Royal North Shore Hospital NICU in May 2009 so we’re looking to snatch our title back this year!

Penny Godfrey had raised some money for the unit through a corporate triathlon in 2009 and together with Bonnie Bosman, they’re preparing for another big effort this year. They would be delighted if you are could sponsor them.

In the Nursery we have commenced using the Philips bedside monitoring systems which allow us to have up to date information at the patient’s bed side to provide optimum care. Without the support we received from you, Variety, The Children’s Charity, the Humpty Dumpty Foundation and Perpetual’s Baxter Charitable Fund we would not have been able to provide this for the babies that we care for.

We aim to implement developmental care for the babies at work to promote optimal growth and development. Sandie Bredemeyer, Shelley Reid, Jan Polverino and Crista Wocadlo recently published Implementation and evaluation of an individualised care programme in a neonatal intensive care unit in the Journal for Specialists in Pediatric Nursing, 13(4): 281-91.

Sandie Bredemeyer and Ester Gibbons’ trial of Chlorhexidine as a Topical Antiseptic for the prevention of nosocomial infection in premature neonates less than 29 weeks gestation has been

completed this year. We’ve audited the establishment of early breastfeeding post cesarean section and hope to increase the capacity beyond three days a week. Shelly Reid has completed her Masters in Public Health.

2010 will be met with the same enthusiasm from the NICU team as we continue to strive for high quality care with optimal outcomes for all the babies and their families.

News from the doctorsA/Prof David Osborn, Director NICU

RPA Newborn Care is situated in the busiest maternity hospital in NSW with over 5000 deliveries per year. We have around 700 admissions annually, of which about 200 are admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and the remainder to the high dependency and special care nurseries. On average we care for about 50 babies <1000gm and 140 babies <1500gm annually. However, the majority of infants needing help are born slightly premature or at term. A proportion of these infants are very sick needing lots of expert help. Thankfully most go home well and to a bright future.

To maximise the infant’s chances requires highly trained and dedicated staff supported by the best equipment and facilities, much of which comes from donations from parents of infants admitted to the nursery in the past or companies and organisations with a commitment to their communities. This year we have just installed a new NICU monitoring

system with workstations that bring all the infant’s information and data to the bedside.

Babies cornerOver the years we have received many knitted and crocheted baby clothes and blankets, for which we are very grateful.

Currently our greatest need is for sheets to put in the humidicribs. These are simple cotton rectangles with machine stitched hems on each side measuring 60cmx100cm; 30cmx20cm to put under the baby’s head; 55cmx8cm to hold the baby.

We also need “dresses”, likewise they are very simple cotton dresses for the babies. If you have the time and would like to help us we would be very grateful and happy to provide the pattern for the dresses. Thank you in advance.

Parents Fundraising CommitteeIn October 2009 a group of dedicated mums and dads expressed a desire to get together and form a fundraising committee to support RPA Newborn Care and have fun at the same time.

The committee organised a Melbourne Cup Lunch and in December held a humidicrib drive in the city. Many exciting activities are planned for 2010. If you are interested in joining the committee or just help with their fundraising efforts, please let us know or contact Angela on 0404 590 545 or Rebecca on 0448 258 716.

Dates for your Diary• Thursday 1st April: Easter Hat Parade.We invite all our pre-school graduates to an Easter Hat Parade. See enclosed invitation.

• Sunday 31st May 2010: Humpty Dumpty Balmoral Burn.In May each year many of our doctors and nurses join thousands of participants from schools, corporations, families and individuals who simply want to help Humpty raise funds, walk, sprint or puff their way up a 420m stretch of Awaba Street in Mosman. Why not join, or sponsor, Team RPA Newborn Care for a day that promises to be full of fun! For details please email simon.burke@sswahs.nsw.gov.au

• From April 2010: Entertainment Books can be purchased to support RPA Newborn Care. Please call Maria on 9515 8760 to order your book/s.

Simon Burke

Dr David Osborne

The new private meeting room. The new parents room with a plasma TV.

Thank You to our Supporters

Our New Facelift!Recently when you came to see us, many of you may have thought you have walked into the wrong department!

The beautiful furniture, modern furnishings and décor in the reception area, the parent’s room and the parents meeting room are a very generous gift from Domayne and Harvey Norman.

RPA Newborn Care is extremely grateful to Domayne and Harvey Norman, in particular Stephanie Crockford, National Promotion and Sponsorship Manager and her team. Stephanie’s kindness, compassion and interest in the work of RPA Newborn Care, resulted in the creation of the best possible environment for parents as they go through one of the most difficult periods in their lives.

The Australian Stockbrokers FoundationThe Australian Stockbrokers Foundation has been a loyal and generous supporter of RPA Newborn Care for a number of years. As a result of their fundraising efforts in June 2009 at The Stockbrokers Annual Awards, two new humidicribs were purchased for our neonatal intensive care unit.

We are very grateful to the The Australian Stockbrokers Foundation for their generosity and ongoing support.

The first week of December was a very exciting time for us. This was the week our much anticipated ten bedside monitors were installed in the intensive care unit.

We are very grateful to the tremendous support of all our parents and donors.

In particular we are most grateful to:Variety, The Children’s Charity for generously funding two bedside monitors.

Humpty Dumpty Foundation for funding one bedside monitor.

Perpetual, The Baxter Charitable Foundation for funding one bedside monitor.

Kodak(Australia)Pty for their generous donation of print cartridges and photo paper.

(left to right) Emma Lutwyche (RPA), Luke Walsh (Harvey Norman), Stephanie Crockford (Domayne / Harvey Norman), Murray Graham (Domayne), Ken Kahill (RPA).

The new reception area.

(left to right) Alistair McEwen (Sydney Uni), Angela Carberry (Sydney Uni), Heather Jeffery (RPA & Sydney Uni), the Pea Pod, Mary Shaw (Tenix), Adriana Gardos (Tenix), Michael Lindsay (Tenix)

(left to right) Nick Evans (RPA), Adriana Gardos (Tenix), Heather Jeffery (RPA & Sydney Uni), Michael Lindsay (Tenix), Mary Shaw (Tenix)

Pea PodThe Pea Pod is a unique and very sophisticated piece of equipment which measures body mass allowing the detection of newborn babies who are underweight despite a “healthy” appearance.

The Pea Pod will have a significant impact not just on our community but also on a state-wide, national and international level.

Thanks to the very generous support of Tenix and an anonymous donor from the University of Sydney, we were able to acquire a Pea Pod for RPA Newborn Care.

We are most grateful to Tenix for their kindness and generosity. Recently we were honoured to welcome Mary Shaw, Adriana Gardos and Michael Lindsay, directors from Tenix, to see the Pea Pod in action.

Contact UsAddress:

RPA Newborn CareRPA Women & BabiesRoyal Prince Alfred HospitalMissenden RdCamperdownNSW 2050Australia

Name Us For The Chance To Win!We need help! We are running a competition to name our RPA Newborn Care newsletter. For your chance to win a Harley Ride, generously donated by Troll Tours, please email your suggestions to: dahlia.brigham@sswahs.nsw.gov.au, or write to us at:RPA Newborn Care,Reply Paid 193, Missenden Road, NSW 2050

Win a Harley Ride competition closes 29th March 2010.We are very grateful to TROLL for offering this generous gift.

Win a Harley Ride

Please detach and post your donation to:

RPA Newborn CareReply Paid 193Missenden Road NSW 2050

Ph: (02) 9515 8456

Fax: (02) 95504375

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Post:RPA Newborn CareReply Paid 193Missenden Road NSW 2050

Phone:Departmental Secretary: +61 2 9515 8248NICU & HDU: +61 2 9515 8459Special Care: +61 2 9515 8897Outpatients: +61 2 9515 8760Home Support Team: +61 2 9515 6435

Fax: +61 2 9550 4375

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