A VERY special nursery for very special babies has officially opened at Ballarat Health Services Base Hospital, with completion of the new Special Care Nursery. Staff and families made the transition from the previous nursery space on Monday, leaving behind the cramped and outdated space for facilities providing state-of-the-art equipment and creature comforts for parents caring for premature and sick babies.
The new nursery has capacity for 12 babies at any time, as well as a new parents’ lounge, breast-feeding room, isolation room and contemporary nurses’ station. Director of nursing Terri Antonio said the new nursery was a dream come true. “In addition to the excellent new facilities, the space will allow us to better care for babies and parents who join us at difficult times.
“We are converting the previous space into parents’ accommodation for people who travel from a long way away to be with their baby,” she said. She thanked nursing unit manager Nicole Stevens and the nursery staff for a seamless transition.
For rural families as far away as Bacchus Marsh and the South Australian border, the Special Care Nursery can be home for anything from a week to a few months. Tracey Taylor, whose daughter Rebecca is currently being cared for at the nursery, said the facilities were excellent.
“It doesn’t compare to where we were in the old space,” she said. “They have thought of everything and it makes it much easier for us during what really is one of the toughest times of our lives.”Rebecca was making good progress with care of the nursing staff, Ms Taylor said.
Yesterday, representatives from the University of Ballarat human resources department visited the nursery to donate $575 raised through regular casual clothes days. Organiser Glenn Bench said department members chose to donate to the nursery because of the important work it does to support local families.