Giving babies the best
start possible may also
include a stay in the spe-
cial care nursery. Thanks
to the 2012 Festival
of Trees, Kootenai was
able to expand neonatal
services and purchase
much-needed equipment.
Although more babies can
be accommodated thanks to these upgrades, even the special care
nursery is feeling growing pains.
“We want to keep families together as much as possible,” said Kris-
tie Hiiva, RN, neonatal nurse. “We definitely have to be creative with
the space we have now, and would eventually like to grow into a larger
space to give families more privacy and quiet time together.”
After working as a labor and delivery nurse at Kootenai for almost
25 years, Kristie discovered that she loved the challenge of work-
ing with premature babies. She decided to take on the extra training
needed to work in the special care nursery. She loves helping to keep
babies in their own community and watching them progress and even-
tually go home with their families. “It’s a whole different type of care
than with full-term babies,” she said. “You have to learn all their little
nuances because each one is different.”
Kristie believes it’s important for everyone to know about the ser-
vices Kootenai offers and what it can mean for their family.
“For the longest time, people thought they had to go to Spokane to be
able to get the care they want,” she said. “But that’s not the case. Moms
can stay right here and receive the care they and their children need.”
SPECIAL
HELP FOR
BABIES
WHO
NEED IT
FOR
OLDER
KIDS,
TOO
Specialized care isn’t
just for new moms and
babies. The pediatric
unit at Kootenai cares
for children from in-
fancy through age 16.
Meredith Myers, RN, pe-
diatric nurse, has seen
firsthand the importance
of keeping families
together while children
are in the hospital.
“We care for the whole
family and do our best
to let both parents stay
with their child,” she
said.
Meredith originally wanted to
be a labor and delivery nurse.
But once she started working in
pediatrics, she knew there was no
going back.
“These kids are amazing and re-
silient,” she said. “I love getting to
be a part of their life while they’re
here. Any time your child is in the
hospital, it’s devastating. The fact
that I get to help teach them and
work with them is a privilege.”
Eventually Meredith said she’d
like to see the unit grow to include
more services and help keep
more families close to
home for care.
To support Women’s and Children’s Services at
Kootenai Health, or for more information about
the Kootenai Health Foundation’s Festival of
Trees, visit kootenaihealth.org/foundation
or call (208) 666-2345.
Karla Benning
talks with
Marissa Tarbet
about her baby
girl, Lani.
Photo by Sheena Dunn/
Spectacular Images.
KOO T ENA I
HE A LT H
. ORG
7
GROWTH
