A soothing start to life
BOARDMAN -- From an indoor "water wall" and stained glass at the entrance to tastefully furnished patient rooms complete with crown molding, a new $21 million maternity center at Beeghly Medical Park hopes to combine modern technology with soothing surroundings.
"We want to be holistic, to try to meet our patients' needs, physical and otherwise," said Michael Cicchillo, chief administrative officer at Beeghly Medical Park.
He and other hospital personnel led reporters on a tour of the still-under-construction Forum Health Women and Infants Pavilion, which is scheduled to open on May 4 -- appropriately in time for Mother's Day.
Patients at the new center will have private rooms for labor, delivery and recovery.
Comforts of home
Wood-type flooring and cherry wood trim make the 17 patient rooms resemble something out of a model home, complete with a painting above the patient's bed that slides back to reveal nurses' call buttons and bays for IVs, oxygen and medication.
The 11 labor and delivery rooms are furnished similarly and are similar in size to the patient rooms, contrary to the popular image of the cavernous hospital operating room.
"We want it to be a non-threatening area," said Laurie Mikolay, clinical nursing manager for labor and delivery. "It can be a stressful time, so we want it to be soothing and to look like a room in your home might look."
That even carries over to the neonatal care unit, which serves children with special needs or who need extra care. Seventeen care stations are under one ceiling, which depicts a sunny sky. Suns, moons and stars on the wall create a "baby's room" feel and divide the unit into separate sections.
"It's one of the most impressive features [of the pavilion]," Cicchillo said.
Nursery
A newborn nursery provides space for 22 bassinets, with an examination area and a central nurses and physicians work area. Four more rooms provide space for care for mothers with pre- or post-delivery complications.
Cicchillo said the pavilion is designed to try to give maximum opportunities for interaction between parents and newborns.
"The element of touching is very important, especially in these first few days," Cicchillo said. "And even if an infant needs special care, we want the parents to be able to have access 24/7."
But at the same time, the facility is security-conscious in its design, to try to reduce the risk of infant abductions. Nursery access can only be gained through a "swipe" card system.
Another patient-friendly aspect of the pavilion is the food service, which will allow patients to order food on their own schedules. A 28-seat restaurant will serve visitors.
"We want patients to be able to eat at the times they are hungry," Cicchillo said.
The facility, for which ground was broken in May of last year, will employ about 120 people.