Outstanding Staff + Great Design = Great Outcome for Quadruplets!

A few months ago, I highlighted in the blog how we were recognized as one of America’s Best Maternity Hospitals 2022 by Newsweek and that we were also awarded the Joint Commission Advanced Certification in Perinatal Care. These two awards were in recognition of our performance, under our four aims, in delivering babies and why we are known as  "the Baby Hospital."

Last week, our maternal newborn health (MNH) team had the unique privilege of delivering quadruplets (yes, mom and babies are doing well)! The fact that the mom selected us, with all the hospitals in the region, as the place to give birth to her babies is indicative of the stellar reputation in the community our hospital has when it comes to childbirth.

Yes, every birth is unique and beautiful; however, some are more complex than others and our continuum-of-care approach allows us to respond if, and when, complexity arises. Our MNH team was made aware very early in this mother’s quadruplet pregnancy, allowing us the time to meet and design processes for a safe delivery for four premature babies at once! Despite not having a hard target date or time for these births, our obstetric and neonatal teams of physicians, nurses, and respiratory therapists considered all potential scenarios, outlining what would be necessary both from a provider and staff perspective, as well as from an equipment and supply standpoint. The plan was disseminated and reviewed several times before the delivery so the entire team could review roles and responsibilities for when this mom arrived for delivery. 

The planning included having an operating room with a maternal team and four neonatal teams with four fully equipped infant stations. In addition, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) had to be ready for four, simultaneous critical care admissions. The NICU and neonatal respiratory teams prepared space for all four babies, including diagrams for placement of staff and equipment around each neonatal bedside both in the operating room and in the NICU. Four grab-and-go boxes, labeled Baby A through Baby D, were created to ensure all supplies were available for each infant’s initial resuscitation.

A child life specialist was also on standby to support the father in the OR and bring him to the NICU when appropriate. Also, the environmental services team was ready when needed to quickly clean the NICU discharge rooms so the babies could be placed together in two NICU twin rooms to facilitate important family involvement.

I am truly proud of my expert colleagues led by our chair of obstetrics Victor Khouzami, MD; director of Women and Children’s Services Lisa Groff Reuschling, DNP, RN; director of Neonatology Susan Aucott, MD; and NICU manager Kristin Trawinski, MSN, RN, who were involved in creating and executing the plan that led to a safe delivery and positive experience for this family. Their diligence in preparation for these births is a clear example of our staff providing our patients the care that we would want for our own loved ones. Wonderful job and thank you.