�O�ER ��OR� parents . While facing ahost of professional uncertainties , including fast-changingprotocols and ongoing concerns about theavailability of ventilators and PPE , healthcareworkers in northern New Jersey rose to the occasion , balancing the need to ensure patient and staff safety with their desire to offer much-needed emotional support to new mothers .“ Day in and day out , I prayed that it would be enough to carry themthrough theirstay ,” says Vega .
HackensackUniversityMedical Center implemented measures early on to protect patients and prevent thevirus ’ s spread , including rigorous testing and health screenings , explains Thomas Bader , M . D ., an OB / G�N physician and vice president of Medical�uality forHackensack Meridian Health .“ It ’ s important to remember that nurses and physicians working on designated labor and delivery floors are not mingling with other units who may have COVID-19 positive patients ,” he says . Among the hospital ’ s protocols : COVID-19positive patients in the labor and delivery receive care in a specialized room built to contain the virus , separate from the general maternal population . “ There is a true separation of care between healthyand sick patients , adding another layerof protectionagainst spread of the virus and enhancing the security of growing families .”
COORDINATED CARE
To ensure theirhospitals delivered the samebirthing experience , acommittee of obstetricschairsat areahospitals agreed early on thatthey would have the same guidelines in place regarding birth partners .“ On top of everything else that washappening , we wanted to make sure that patients didn ’ t feel like they needed to change their birth plan because one hospital would allow abirth partner and adoulatobepresent versus another hospital that might onlybeallowing a
MichaelStra�er , Chairman , Maternal Care Services at Clara Maass Medical Center .
PHOTO / ����A��A�AS HEA�TH
E��e�tin� ��ms Can E��e�t�
� �apid CO�I� test uponadmission � The option to havea�irthpartner and / or doulapresent � Afaster discharge � Shorter visiting hours�and no visitorsunder the age of ��� � �o flo�er or food deliveries
birth partner . The protocols were changing fast and it was important that we agree on one approach ,” said Michael Straker , M . D ., Chairman of Maternal CareServices at RWJBarnabas Health ’ s Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville .
A�ATIENT���ER��ECTI�E
Fornew momBeth Gilardi-Thomas , who gave birth at Hackensack University Medical Center in mid-April 2020 , the changing protocols heightened the anxiety in an already stressful IVF pregnancy . “ On March 15 , when Iwas 29 weeks pregnant , I woke up with my amniotic fluid leaking . We went to the emergencyroom and Iwas put on complete bed rest in the hospital , and that just happened to be theweekthat COVID started to unravel .”
During the first week , her husband was allowed to visit asoften as he wanted to butbythe end of theweek , he could no longer visit in person until shewas in active labor .“ Thenurses didafantastic job . They had so muchontheir plates , learning about COVID and keeping patients and families safe , but at no point did they not put me first ,” she recalls . Her baby girl was born about five weeks later , just shyof�4weeks , requiring aweek in theNICU . Though she occasionallyfeared she ’ d be denied entry to visit her newborn , that neverhappened . “ I was never exposed to COVID during my stayinthe hospital and was screened every time I visited the NICU .”
�I�OTING �OR NEW �ARENT�
“ For new moms , the normal fear of caring for a newborn can be emotionally overwhelming but COVID added a new element , afear of theunknown , and we knew immediately thatwe would need to create apregnancy support group for these soonto-bemothers who would misssomany of
Mara �e �eon , left , Manager of �a�or and �elivery , and Sharon Tanis , Manager of �actation and �amilyEducation , �oth of The �alley Hospital . PHOTOS / �A��EY HEA�TH
the milestones that normally go along with theirfirst pregnancy ,” explains Maira De �eon , RN , Manager of �abor�Delivery at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood .
With the hospital ’ s in-person resources on hold and requests from patients who still wanted to be able toconnect with other mothers , De �eon and Sharon Tanis , MSN , RN , IBC�C , Managerof�actation and FamilyEducation at Valley , organized free weeklypregnancy and breastfeeding support groups using Microsoft Teams .
“ Back in 2019 , we introduced telehealth lactation consultations so new moms could arrangea convenient , secure video consult with an internationally board-certified lactation consultant withoutleaving home , so transitioning our education programs to avirtual platform was relatively easy ,” says Tanis . To connect with patients , the hospital uses �R codes with direct links to the website , offers a virtual childbirth education program �as well as multiple other online classes� , and relies on its�omingo Pregnancy to Parenthood smartphone app .
LOO�INGAHEAD
“ I ’ m not sure COVID will ever be adistant memory ,” says Dr . Straker . “ I don ’ t have all the answers , however , it is important that wecontinue todo what is necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19 . The vaccine is not acure , but helps to prevent severe illness and possibly death . AtClara Maass , we will continue implementing safety protocols , such as wearing masks , screening for symptoms and temperature checks for all visitors , disinfecting between patients , and social distancing ourselvesuntil at least �5 to 80� of the population has been vaccinated .”
PREPARED BY THE ADVERTISING DEPT . | THE RECORD HEALTH QUARTERLY | SPRING 2021
�