Even at Birth, Regulations Number of Maternity Beds, Visiting Hours, Billings for Hospital Stay— ''All Regulated

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COURT • HOUSE . - As the Jersey Cape population swells with summer so do the walls of the Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital Maternity Department. Vacationing- mothers-to-be,, many nearing the end of a pregnancy, come down JU> the shore to relax. Some don’t realize that the ride do*n followed*by"B jaunt on a crowded boardwalk can produce labor — whether it's due or not. "The jarring that takes E lace can and often docs send a appy vacationer into jpbor and right Into our labor rooms,” notes

Dr. Melvin Hankin.

But • this summer, the resort county’s only hospital is better able to handle untimely arrivals. "A YEAR AGO we were working with one labor room, one delivery room, ten beds and one bathroom all in the space of our present nursery Our delivery suite is now made.up of four labor rooms with monitors for mother’s and baby's heart and two modern fully equipped delivery rooms,”

Dr. Hankin explains.

While total bed capacity couldn't be increased in the new maternity section due to state egulations, the new department irovides semi-private rooms and iath, with a solarium where addipnal beds may be placed when ver-capacity occurs. With some

AMID THE MODERN equipment and 20th centurr hospital regulations, the old-fashioned wooden rocker is still one of the best ways to get a baby to sleep. *

600 babies tforn each year, there are times when this happens. Most new mothers and fathers are taking advantage of the ability to go through the labor and delivery stages together. If the couple hasn’t participated in the

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free Child Birth Education Association course given independently at the hospital, the obsterical nurses provide a “crash course” mothers-and Tathers-to-be when they arrive at rhe hospital. "WE HAVE FOUND that the majority of*the fathers want to go through delivery with the mothers, even if they have not had the claSs,” commented Dr Hankin." We do find those thdi have had this excellent training are more supportive.” With new maternity regulations for visiting the same as for the rest of the hospital, the new mothers may now see other family members besides the husband. But the hour from 8 to 9 p.m., known as thft''Bonding Hour,” is reserved fo^father, mother and baby to spend time together. "Rooming in" has also been made possible for mothers who wish to nave their baby with them all day and returned to the nursery only at night. This system limits visiting to the father only. “We have planned our facility to provide iqothers and babies with the finest in care and facilities,’’ comments Dr. Lawrence Macatee. Adds Dr. Hankin, “We have the newest in computerized monitoring units coming in for use in labor ^pom and delivery areas.” As soon as funds become available to purchase the necessary anesthesia equipment for the second labor room, it will be possible to perform caesarean sections without moving the patient to the operating room, the doctor pointed out. BUT SOME THINGS never change. In the midst of the climate controlled, antiseptic, modern nursery there is the old fashion rocking chair, where nurses may feed infants as mothers have done for generations. The atmosphere in the Materni-

ty Department is one of T.L.C. for. mother, baby — arid anxious family. Dads-to-be aren't, forgotten, and in the waiting room they are kept aware of the progress and happenings in the labor and delivery rooms. In fact, final arrangements are being made to provide sibling visiting in the father’s waiting room. Final passage was held up pending state and local Infection Control Committee approval. The length of stay in Maternity is 74 1/2 hours, according to the Diagnostic Related Group regulations, since Burdette Tomlin (and the hospital in Somers Point) is regulated by DRG, this meansihe patient is billed for that length of stay even if she and her doctoi should agree to a shorter time in the hospital. “WE ARE NOT particularly happy with this,” comments Dr. Hankin. “It is fine for patients covered by insurance, but not fair to the healthy mother and child who are not covered and could leave the hospital sooner and thus pay less (without DRG regulations).” Regulations aside those who have experienced the new maternity setup.seem to like it. “It was really great to have my baby here," said Diane Chester. Someone was always available to answer questions posed by husband and I all through labor and delivery. Arid, since I'm nursing my baby, the nurses have tried to really help me out and keep relaxed. Having the nurses, my husband and doctor there really meant a lot." "We especially liked the ‘Bonding Hour’,” commented Walter and Shelley Plechner. “It was a time when w,e could bp alone with our baby and hold her and play with her without interruptions. The whole experience of being together during labor and delivery helps to make you feel more like a family from the beginning,” they added.

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