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Evacuations of NICUs - are you ready if it happens to you?

Our gratitude remains with the professionals, volunteers, families that work tirelessly to protect hospitalized babies.
Nurtured by Design works with hospitals to prepare NICUs to keep babies warm from the time a NICUs loses power to evacuation of these, the most fragile patients.  Historically, NICUs are prepared for loss of power to the ventilators and the staff is proficient in "bagging" the patients. What is your plan when babies that need external thermoregulation lose the incubator or warmers? 
We use proven project risk management principles and best practices and tools like The Zaky Natural Incubator KIT to provide safe micro-environment to every patient in case of an emergency and/or an evacuation. 
Below are videos of evacuations or drills - every NICU should be prepared. It can happen anywhere and for multiple causes.

2001

2001 - Tropical Storm Allison shutdown the power, water, telephone, and all services to the NICU where Zachary was hospitalized. See more about our story including the movie "14:Hours" based on the evacuation of the hospital and Zachary's story

2010

On November 18, 2010.

Loma Linda University Medical Center and Children's Hospital participated in the 2010 California Statewide Medical & Health Functional Exercise in conjunction with San Bernardino County Department of Public Health Preparedness and Response Program & Inland Counties Emergency Medical Agency.

Scenario: threat of an improvised explosive device, though there is no threat of chemical, biological or nuclear agents. Hospitals were included as potential targets.

2012

NYU Langone Medical Center evacuated due to power outage | Hurricane Sandy

Oct 30, 2012

2017

Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi has evacuated ten of its sickest and smallest patients out of Hurricane Harvey's path.

Ahead Of Harvey, South Texas Hospital Evacuating NICU Babies

2018

 

Hurricane Florence: NICU babies evacuated to Levine Children's hospital

´Sep 13, 2018

2019

Nurses care for NICU babies evacuated from Savannah hospital ahead of Dorian

2020

Children's Hospital cares for evacuated NICU babies from Lake Charles following Hurricane Laura

Sep 1, 2020

2021

As Hurricane Ida hit Louisiana, the nurses inside the NICU at Ochsner Health Hospital in New Orleans volunteered to stay through the night with the babies who desperately needed them.

Aug 30, 2021

2021

Heroic Nurses Cared for Newborns During Hurricane Ida,  Sep 13, 2021

Ellen welcomed four nurses from her hometown of New Orleans, where these essential heroes work at Ochsner Baptist Hospital's NICU. Paula, Kimberly, Kristi, and Michelle are four of the 65 nurses who volunteer to stay at the hospital through emergencies. They talked to Ellen about the recent hurricane that tore through the Gulf Coast and how they cared for the newborns whose parents were forced to evacuate. Thanks to Ellen and her friends at 84 Lumber, the nurses were recognized for their hard work with a $100,000 to the Ochsner Employee Assistance Fund, which directly helps healthcare workers who need assistance with recovery efforts.

 
 contact yamile@thezaky.com for more information.