A NICU stay can be a startling first chapter to mom and baby’s new story. Especially if that means a transfer to a larger facility. For that reason, Avera has made commitments to rural health care that start with investments to help keep critical services and families in their home communities.
Stetson Volk is pretty much the perfect baby boy.
“Yep! He'll be one on December 20th. He's wonderful. He's a big boy! He's a big boy with a full head of hair,” said Jordyn Volk, Stetson’s mom.
Looking back at the photos, you would expect the story to end here, but Stetson’s first couple of days weren't exactly picturesque. Shortly after delivery, the team of nurses noticed something was a little off with this little guy.
“She (the nurse) just kept saying, he's kind of breathing heavy, but maybe he's just tired. Like he was very relaxed on me,” said Jordyn.
Stetson was breathing a little more rapidly than normal, so he was checked into the Avera St. Luke’s Nursery for some extra love and observation.
“We have a level two nursery here at Avera St Luke's. In that nursery, we can provide extra respiratory support, extra support for blood sugar monitoring, cardiac monitors, basically anything that a baby needs that's just a little bit more than a normal newborn,” said Emily Weigel, a nurse supervisor at Avera St. Luke’s Hospital.
In Stetson case, there was some extra fluid in his lungs, making it a little harder for him to breathe.
“They were trying to clear that out and see if maybe that was the issue. So they were just giving him some extra love,” said Jordyn.
“When you just walk in there and you see all that stuff, it's a little shocking or scary, you know? But then they were very comforting. The nurses explained to us what we were doing and what they were doing, and that he's going to be fine. He just needs a little extra love and they got us all taken care of,” said Ben Volk, Stetson’s dad.
In addition to the skilled nursing staff, the nursery is equipped with ICU connections to specialists in Sioux Falls to monitor and provide insight if a baby's condition worsens. The NICU Flight Team can also arrange transport to get them to the care they need, but the overall goal is clear.
“Having the level two nursery is huge for us to be able to keep moms and babies together, to keep babies in our community, which is an amazing stress relief for parents,” said Susan Wik, MD an Obstetrician and Gynecologist at Avera St. Luke’s Hospital.
“It's very beneficial! Most people have families around this area. If they live here, they're typically from around here, you know. So I was very grateful that he was able to stay here,” said Jordyn.
It may seem simple, but providing these services closer to home can make a world of difference. Knowing that baby has everything they need gives moms like Jordyn, comfort and peace of mind.
Avera St. Luke’s has the Aberdeen regions only Level Two Nursery for patients. No matter which Avera location you choose for birthing, patients have access to remote NICU monitoring, 24/7 nursing support, and telemedicine consultations with specialists at Avera McKennan.
