ROSEBURG,OR March 12, 2018 - CHI Mercy Health Mercy Foundation was recently awarded a $20,000 grant to support a neonatal resuscitation program at CHI Mercy Health Family Birthplace.
This grant will be used to purchase neonatal simulation equipment to train Mercy’s Family Birthplace nurses and respiratory therapists responsible for neonatal resuscitation. The goal is to improve outcomes for infants by improving emergency response time.
Almost every one of the 900 annual births at Mercy require some form of resuscitation; 25% of those are high-risk because of gestational diabetes or drug abuse. High rates of smoking and obesity also put infants at risk for having breathing issues.
“This grant is such a blessing to our new mothers and babies that need a little extra care right after delivery. Our team of nurses and respiratory therapists appreciate the opportunity to expand our resuscitation knowledge and skill, plus have wonderful equipment to support our smallest patients,” Deb Rinaker, Director of Family Birthplace.
For infants requiring resuscitation, response time is measured in seconds – not minutes.
This program will strengthen neonatal resuscitation skills; increase employees’ competency; and foster interdisciplinary teamwork.
“We appreciate the generous support of the Raskob Foundation to ensure that our staff have the skills and tools they need to support our littlest community members,” said Lisa Platt, president of Mercy Foundation. “On behalf of the babies we are privileged to help bring into this world, we extend our deepest gratitude.”
About Mercy Medical Center: CHI Mercy Health Mercy Medical Center was started with a $12,000 gift from the Roseburg community. That is the sum the Sisters of Mercy raised to construct Roseburg’s first hospital. The 25-bed Mercy Hospital was dedicated on Feb. 22, 1909, just four months after construction began. It was built on the banks of the South Umpqua River where the Douglas County Health Department currently stands.
CHI Mercy Health has grown into a sophisticated 174-bed medical center with advanced technology and a continuum of services to ensure Douglas County residents have access to state-of-the-art healthcare without having to leave town.
Today more than 1,000 talented and dedicated employees and 200 compassionate and giving volunteers work throughout CHI Mercy Health. It is their commitment that has helped Mercy become one of the country's most highly rated hospitals for quality.
