The recently opened Netcare Pholoso Hospital has been designed, built and equipped with the highest standards in patient care in mind. The wide range of professional medical services offered at the hospital includes a number that are specifically aimed at meeting the needs of expectant parents, and those with young families.
“It is particularly satisfying when we develop a brand new hospital as this affords us the opportunity to customise it for optimal operational efficiency and healthcare outcomes,” Jacques du Plessis, managing director of Netcare’s hospital division, notes.
Parents and those expecting babies can take comfort in the knowledge that Netcare Pholoso Hospital offers a range of maternity and paediatric healthcare services on their doorstep.
Netcare Pholoso Hospital’s paediatric unit was designed to provide a homely environment for young patients to help prevent what is known as ’hospital shock’.
Unit manager, Marischen Lebese, explains that traditional hospital wards can be stressful for a child. “Children are very sensitive to their environment, and our unit has been carefully designed to make them feel right at home, in order to aid the healing process. With a colourful play area, brightly painted walls and small chairs especially made for children; we incorporate elements of play into their stay with us.”
The 30-bed paediatric unit has five wards with five beds each, as well as five isolation cubicles. To keep the young patients entertained, each bed has its own television set. In addition, there is a sleeper couch next to each bed for the benefit of parents, so that each little patient can have the comfort of a parent staying with them while they are being cared for.
Parents have the benefit of a dedicated kitchen and breastfeeding is actively promoted with the inclusion of a tranquil, dedicated breastfeeding room. The unit’s bathrooms have non-slip floors to help prevent accidents.
The nursing staff in the paediatric unit works closely with the paediatricians and other healthcare professionals who practise at the Netcare Pholoso Hospital. This approach ensures a multi-disciplinary team that is equipped to care for the unique needs of each young patient.
At Netcare Pholoso Hospital’s maternity unit, every mother and new-born baby is given personalised care by dedicated midwives and staff. “We pride ourselves on providing a comprehensive range of services and advice to assist women and their partners with the transition to parenthood,” says maternity unit manager Marlene Knell.
The unit comprises 27 beds, including three private rooms with en-suite bathrooms. “Natural light flows into all our rooms, thereby assisting with the holistic treatment of mother and baby,” Knell elaborates.
The unit also incorporates three technologically advanced delivery rooms that are situated in close proximity to the caesarean theatre and the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), ensuring a streamlined service for mother and baby to help optimise outcomes.
- Neonatal intensive care unit
The NICU at Netcare Pholoso Hospital is equipped with world-class technology to provide premature infants and other babies needing specialised care with the nurturing womb-like conditions they need to grow strong. “We believe in involving the family in all aspects of care and creating a warm, loving environment to foster bonding in the early stages of the baby’s development,” explains unit manager Jacki Pautz.
The NICU has the capacity to provide specialised treatment for 14 infants, six of whom can be cared for in isolation cubicles. Caleo incubators offer a nurturing environment for these infants, with humidification, in-bed weighing and optimum developmental support just some of the benefits they offer.
The unit also has a cutting-edge Giraffe Omnibed, which not only serves as both an incubator and radiant warmer, but its versatility even allows for surgical procedures to be performed without having to remove the baby from the omnibed. Disruptions to the baby are thus minimised, contributing to optimum outcomes.
Beautiful murals, soft lighting, and a comfortable breastfeeding and expressing area have been incorporated to create a serene environment in the NICU.
This mother and baby wellness clinic, situated on the ground floor of the hospital, offers value-adding services to complement the hospital’s maternity services. These include a range of postnatal services including breastfeeding support, baby milestone and wellness monitoring and immunisations.
“The specialists who practise at Netcare Pholoso Hospital, together with our skilled and experienced nursing staff, are providing our patients, young and old, with quality healthcare services. We look forward to the years of healing ahead of us in Limpopo,” Du Plessis concluded.
Ends
Issued by: Martina Nicholson Associates (MNA) on behalf of Netcare Pholoso Hospital
Contact: Martina Nicholson, Graeme Swinney and Meggan Saville
Telephone: (011) 469 3016
Email: [email protected], [email protected], or [email protected]