St. Joe's nurses plan together for safe transitions for new families and baby
Written by: Jill Kennedy, Manager, Major Gifts, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Foundation
Photo caption (L-R): Caitlin Stewart, Registered Practical Nurse (RPN), completes an assessment with new baby Natalia and parents Eunika and Sylvester Ciszewski.
Any new mom knows that the first few days with her baby come with a rush of emotion and countless questions, all centered around one thing: a healthy baby. The nurses at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton see first-hand what new parents are experiencing and knew that more could be done to support parents after leaving hospital.
“We were seeing a gap within our community. New moms needed a stepping stone that would help connect them with the care and support they need,” says Jo-Ann Jaskolka, Registered Nurse in the Women’s and Infants’ Program at St. Joseph’s Healthcare.
That stepping stone was the Baby Assessment Clinic (BAC), created by St. Joe’s nurses in 2014, alongside physician leads and in collaboration with nurses from City of Hamilton’s Public Health.
As one of the nursing leads who helped facilitate the new initiative, Jaskolka says, “BAC represents our community coming together to support new moms and babies. The Clinic is staffed by a St. Joe’s nurse working at full scope of practice, completing baby’s assessments including weight checks and blood work and also connecting the new mom with any other support she needs.”
That support could come from any of the Clinic’s partners: family doctors, nurse practitioners, midwives, Public Health, Early Words programs and Pediatricians. At BAC, nurses have ensured that families have access to a one-stop-shop for information and assessments right after discharge from hospital.
A new mom who visited St. Joe’s Baby Assessment Clinic said, “I left with an individualized plan tailored to my needs. The Clinic contacted my family physician too, sharing what tests were completed, any referrals, and what Public Health services I am using. It’s so nice to have somewhere to turn to ensure we’re getting the support we need.”
Engaging families and collaborating with community healthcare partners is translating into healthier transitions from hospital to home, and often means that new families can leave the hospital sooner.
“It’s a tremendous step for both families and our nursing teams. BAC means that new moms feel confident that they have the information they need to care for both themselves and their baby. It also gives our nurses reassurance that mom and baby are leaving the hospital with access to all the supports they need”, says Jaskolka.
The Baby Assessment Clinic is a completely nurse-led Clinic at St. Joseph’s Healthcare and one of only three Clinics of its kind in Ontario.