NICU coming to Saint Anthony Medical Center

Unit will boost care for babies; reduce stress for parents

A neonatal intensive care unit is scheduled to open in the fall at Saint Anthony Medical Center.
“This is something we have wanted for years,’’ said Carol Schuster, vice president of patient services, who has been with the hospital since 1976.

“With our number of annual deliveries now up to around 1,600, we are able to justify the need and better serve our parents and their babies,’’ Schuster added.

The 12-bed unit, slated to open in November, will be housed in the hospital’s maternity department, called The Birth Place. Staff will include neonatalogists and specially trained nurses.
The addition will help to reduce the number of infant transfers to other hospitals, which also will serve to reduce stress for parents, Schuster said. Currently infants who require special care are transferred to other hospitals, away from their mothers.

“The new unit will further demonstrate our commitment to Sisters of St. Francis Health Services’ Franciscan Values, such as that of compassionate concern, by allowing more of our babies and moms to remain together during such a meaningful time,’’ Schuster said.
The unit will be overseen by Angela Katzelis, clinical director of The Birth Place.
“This is a service we need,’’ Katzelis said. “We are in an area that will support the unit because of our location. We hope to attract more parents from Crown Point and surrounding communities and will be able to serve more high-risk moms.’’

Katzelis, who has spent much of her 14 years in the profession in labor and delivery units – including two years in the neonatal intensive care unit of Comer Children’s Hospital at the University of Chicago -- still regards childbirth as “an unbelievable miracle.’’

“The mothers don’t get any do-overs, so we try to make the experience memorable, loving and caring – a joyous time. When it sometimes doesn’t work out that way, we are caring and giving; we are there to support them.’’

Saint Anthony Medical Center is located at 1201 S. Main St.
For more information on The Birth Place, call (219) 757-6368.