Weekly Update

We recognize how trying these times are. We want to thank you for your cooperation in ensuring we do our best to keep all babies, their families and our staff safe. We will be sharing different resources that may be helpful to you throughout your NICU journey. Please be sure to talk with your team as additional questions and concerns arise.

Our Level III Newborn Intensive Care Unit colleagues remain dedicated to providing the best and most advanced care possible to newborns with critical and unique health challenges.

Be well and take care of yourself. You are not alone.

VISITATION POLICY:

• Please enter the hospital through the Main Entrance at 75 Francis Street to complete a health screening

• One BANDED family member is allowed in a 24-hour period

• All visitors are to wear a mask over their nose and mouth at all times while in the unit

• Green visitor sticker and parent band should be worn at all times

• Visitor should remain in the baby’s room throughout the visit

• Enough Food and beverage for the single visit is permitted by the bedside, not to be stored for later

GETTING INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR BABY: Parents are encouraged to call at any time for information about their baby. When calling please ask to speak to the nurse caring for your baby, giving your baby’s first and last name. The unit coordinator will transfer your call directly to your nurse. If the nurse is busy caring for your baby and is not able to answer, you may need to try back again in a bit.

DISCOUNTED PARKING: Discounted parking is available for NICU parents (cost $5.00) in the garage at 80 OR 45 Francis Street. Please stop at the front desk and speak to the unit coordinators for the pink validation card.

HAND HYGIENE: Practicing good hand hygiene is an important part of your baby’s care. Please wash your hands with soap and water at the sink in the waiting area or in your baby’s room at the start of your visit; use hand sanitizer each time you enter your baby’s room and again every time prior to touching your baby. Remember to use hand sanitizer again after you touch door handles, personal or NICU objects, other persons or yourself. Please wipe your cell phone off with the sanitizing wipes prior to use.

Trusted Information

• MASS.GOV

• World Health Organization (WHO)

• Centers For Disease Control (CDC)

• National Perinatal Association

• Multilingual Fact Sheets and Visuals
  

Sibling Support

• https://www.mghclaycenter.org/hot-topics/7-ways-to-support-kids-and-teens-through-the-coronavirus-pandemic/

• https://archive.org/details/covid19kidscolorpdf/mode/2up

Many families are currently experiencing or are anticipating financial concerns due to the outbreak, compounded by their baby's NICU admission. Please reach out to your NICU social worker for ways in which we can help guide you through this journey.

Mass. 2-1-1 has information on financial resources for residents of Massachusetts.

Search on-line at: https://mass211.org OR call: 211

Information is available in different languages.

Our Social Service team is currently staffed remotely. We remain available by phone and email during business hours to provide emotional support, information and resources to help you care for your baby during your NICU admission and help plan for when baby comes home.

Social Work

In addition to providing support and counseling, our social workers can assist families with tasks such as health insurance registration, finding a pediatrician, or locating community resources.

Alicia Katz (617) 525-8320

akatz22@partners.org

Susan Berliner, LICSW (617) 732-8403

sberliner@bwh.harvard.edu

Marysabel Gomez, LPC (617) 732-5419

mgomez15@bwh.harvard.edu

Family Support

Our Family Support Program is staffed by former NICU mothers. Working closely with the medical team, they help parents navigate the many emotional twists and turns that accompany the NICU journey.

Maria Conley (617) 525-8682

msconley@bwh.harvard.edu

Care Coordination

Care coordinators are nurses who complete intake assessments upon admission and can assist families in preparing for the transition home or to a specialty care nursery closer to home.

Anna Kiriakidis (617) 732-4866

akiriakidis@bwh.harvard.edu

Spiritual Care

The Spiritual Care Services Department provides compassionate emotional, spiritual, and religious support as resources for healing.

Mikhala Heil (617) 732-7480

mheil1@bwh.harvard.edu

Child Life Graduate Student

Ashlee Thomas

athomas50@bwh.harvard.edu

Website: https://www.brighamandwomens.org/
Location: 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, USA
Phone: (617)732-5420
Facebook: facebook.com/BrighamandWomensHospital
Twitter: @BrighamWomens