Opening Our Doors for All Newborns: Caring for Displaced Neonates: Intrastate

Abstract

Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, one of the first women’s specialty hospitals in the nation, is a 225-bed, private, not-for-profit organization that delivers more than 8000 infants each year. Sick newborns and infants less than 1 year of age are cared for in the 83-bed Center for Newborn and Infant Care, comprised of a level III-C NICU,1 special care nursery (level II), developmental nursery, infant care center, and neonatal surgery center. A private physician group consisting of 9 neonatologists and 2 neonatal nurse practitioners (NNPs) provide in-house coverage on a 24/7 basis. The hospital employs 4 NNPs to serve as transport NNPs. The Louisiana Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP) designated Woman’s Hospital as the referral center for high-risk obstetrical patients and neonates for both Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In a period of 5 days, 87 neonates were transferred to Woman’s Hospital during Hurricane Katrina, and transports were arranged for an additional 34 infants to other facilities. Twenty-one neonates were transferred to Woman’s Hospital during Hurricane Rita. ### Peak Census: 61; Midnight Census: 56* Katrina, still in the Gulf of Mexico, became a category 2 hurricane, and by 11 pm, the landfall forecast was for just east of New Orleans, Louisiana.2 We knew Baton Rouge would experience some type of adverse weather. The Hospital Emergency Incident Command System contains 4 increasing states of storm readiness based on the type of tropical storm/hurricane watches and warnings issued for Baton Rouge. Level 2 was implemented, which included fueling of emergency power generator tanks, establishment of alternate communications, updating departmental emergency call lists, stocking of hospital linen, replenishment of emergency food and drinkable water supplies, battery charging on portable equipment, and an evaluation of current medication supplies in the pharmacy, with procurement of additional needed emergency medications. ### Peak Census: 59; Midnight Census: 54 Katrina became a category 3 hurricane. During the day, the … Address correspondence to Steven B. Spedale, MD, FAAP, PO Box 45171, Baton Rouge, LA 70895-4171. E-mail: steve.spedale{at}infamedics.com