Open Arms at Woman's Hospital, Baton Rouge

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Sep 9, 2005

from advancefornurses.com -- website viewed june 8th,2005

by barbara drosey & pamela tarapchak

when diane berthelot, rn,c,looks toward the highway, she sees an endless stream of ambulances speeding toward woman's hospital, baton rouge. despite overseeing the daunting task of receiving patients being evacuated from new orleans hospitals, berthelot, the director of labor and delivery and obstetrical services, sounds calm and in-control, even as her voice cracks with exhaustion and emotion.

"it's very sad. a lot of us have friends and relatives [in new orleans], and a couple of our physicians have lost their homes. most of us have houses full of people," she told advance. "we're dealing with this on a personal basis, then hearing the stories of what the evacuees dealt with to get rescued.".........

....above & beyond

last week, about 50 patients were being cared for in woman's nicu. this week, that number has risen to 104 (and counting). fifty nurses are working each 12-hour shift to care for babies who have been transported from several new orleans hospitals by ambulances and black hawk helicopters. one baby even arrived with a note written on her t-shirt: i last ate at 6:00 p.m.

"everyone is so devoted- nicu staff, in-hospital volunteers and ancillary staff-everyone is stocking carts or feeding babies," roxanne butler, bsn, rn,c, nurse manager of the nicu told advance.

on the first night of transport, when staff members from woman's traveled to new orleans to pick up patients, they encountered unbearable heat, poor ventilation and babies getting very hot. they also saw nurses they knew who were frightened.

upon their return to woman's, staff collected ice chests, drinks and food to send back on the next trip. on the ice chests, they wrote words of encouragement for their friends and colleagues still in the storm-ravaged hospitals.

"there have been a lot of emotions," butler noted. "nursing staff has risen to a need i thought we would never have. it's been amazing. i commend them for how smoothly everything has gone."...